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What does (no) climate protection cost us?

The Germans' CO2 footprint is around 11 tonnes per person per year, well above the global average of around 6.7 tonnes. With small changes in behavior, everyone can actively do something to reduce greenhouse gases and combat climate change.

Author: Susanne Breuer

The Rhineland-Palatinate Consumer Center has compiled information and tips on climate protection on its website

Climate protection: The individual CO2 footprint

Every person produces greenhouse gases directly and indirectly through their behavior, which can be referred to as their individual CO2 footprint. With an average CO2 footprint of around 11 tonnes per year per person, Germans are well above the global average of around 6.7 tonnes. This refers to all greenhouse gases, i.e. CO2 equivalents (CO2e). In a global comparison of the sum of all “pure” CO2 emissions, i.e. the so-called “climate debt”, Germany ranks 6th.

Ecological Footprint. Photo: Rhineland-Palatinate consumer advice center
Carbon footprint. Photo: Rhineland-Palatinate consumer advice center

In order to protect the environment and climate for future generations and to achieve Germany's climate protection goals, the guideline is less than one ton of carbon dioxide per capita per year. The carbon footprint depends on how we live, move, eat and consume.

“First and foremost, politics and business are required to limit climate change. But each and every individual can also make their contribution to climate protection through small actions in everyday life.”

Bernadett Glosch, climate protection consultant at the Rhineland-Palatinate Consumer Center

The consumer advice center has researched how minor behavioral changes in the areas of mobility, nutrition and living affect the CO2 footprint and what costs this causes. Result: In many cases, both CO2 and costs can be saved. Half of individual CO2 emissions can be avoided through seven so-called Big Points. The Federal Environment Agency has put together these big points. These are measures that have a particularly large impact on the footprint. These include, among other things, using an energy-saving shower head, moderately avoiding flights, a plant-based diet and alternatives when driving.

A few examples from the consumer advice center to save CO2:

  • Cover journeys of less than five kilometers by bike

Half of all car journeys are shorter than five kilometers. Replacing daily “short car journeys” with bicycle journeys would lead to CO2 savings of around 0.7 tonnes per person per year. Carpooling not only saves CO2 but also money.

  • Eat a predominantly plant-based diet

If meat, sausage and dairy products are much less common on the menu and the meat meal becomes the exception like the Sunday roast, a lot has been done for climate protection. A global change in eating habits that includes avoiding meat would even lead to a total reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 63 percent, and a vegan world would even reduce them by 70 percent. This was the result of a study by the Eat Lancet Commission, an international research team from Oslo.

  • Fly less

Avoiding one long-distance trip per year saves around five tons of CO2 per person per year.

What many people don't know: The living space also has a major influence on the CO2 footprint.

That's why it's definitely worth thinking about, for example, dividing an old single-family home that has become far too big or about installing a separate apartment. compiled further information and tips on its website “What does (no) climate protection cost us?”

Source:

Rhineland-Palatinate consumer advice center
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