The CO₂ footprint in everyday life

In short: The CO₂ footprint states how many greenhouse gases a person, product or activity causes, converted into CO₂ equivalents. In Germany per-capita emissions are about 8 to 11 tonnes per year.

In more detail: The goal of the Paris Agreement requires in the long term well below 1 to 2 tonnes per capita.

In detail

• Biggest items: Housing and heating, mobility, food, consumption.
• Heating: Insulation, correct heating and heat pump (heizkosten-senken-und-richtig-heizen).
• Mobility: Flights and cars weigh heavily; train and bicycle are frugal (spritsparend-fahren).
• Food: Beef and dairy cause more emissions than plant-based food.
• Electricity: Green electricity and efficient appliances.
• Consumption: Durable, repairable products, buying second-hand.
• Calculators: CO₂ calculators of the Federal Environment Agency show personal levers.
• System change: Individual decisions and policy work together (klimawandel-grundlagen).