Interactive infographic
The carbon footprint is nonsense – it distracts from the real problem
With the CO2-Footprint, everyone can determine the amount of greenhouse gases they cause themselves. What sounds like a good idea has a crucial catch.
In 2004 he first left his mark in the media and in discussions about climate change and its causes: individual CO2-Footprint. Using many parameters, anyone interested can determine for themselves how much Greenhouse gases he or she causes. The calculations take into account, among other things, personal mobility (Do I use my bike or car to get to work? How often do I fly on vacation?), diet (Do I eat meat or am I vegetarian?) and living situation (Live I am in a single-family home, in a terraced house or in an apartment?).
The top ten climate killers
In 2022, each German citizen produced an average of 9.49 tons of greenhouse gases per year. This puts the Germans among the top ten polluters worldwide. Per capita emissions are only higher in some oil and gas exporting countries such as Saudi Arabia, the USA, China and Australia. The values for individual countries can be called up using the input mask.
Today people no longer like to talk about personal CO2footprint, says Lara Hein from the Klimadashboard association: “On the one hand, comparing each other only leads to senseless debates and mutual accusations: I eat meat, but you went on vacation twice last year. In addition, most emissions are caused by companies anyway – Here the problems and steering effects are much greater.”
That was obviously also the calculation of the oil and gas company BP, which developed the idea of individual footprints and brought it to the people.
The climate dashboard
They are legal scholars, web designers, biologist and psychologists, they are young – and they are all united by one desire: to make climate change, its causes and its consequences better understandable. In mid-September, 16 women and men from the Klimadashboard association started the German website Klimadashboard.de. One of them is Lara Hein, who studied environmental law, climate policy and climate diplomacy.
Apparently with great success: While many German citizens are still thinking about how they can contribute to climate protection – for example by buying an electric car or giving up meat – and thus making their personal contribution, in other areas only comes little going on. The result: In 2022, Germany caused around 746 million tons of greenhouse gases, just 1.9 percent less than the year before. In order to achieve the federal government’s climate goals by 2030, emissions would have to fall by at least six percent per year, according to Federal Environment Agency President Dirk Messner.
Each German citizen accounted for around 9.49 tonnes of CO released in 20222 and other gases that have an impact on the climate. This is almost one and a half times the global average of 6.76 tonnes. This puts Germans among the top ten in the world when it comes to emissions. Only in some oil and gas exporting countries such as the United Arab Emirates or Bahrain, the USA, Australia and China is the annual per capita quantity higher. Other European industrialized countries such as Great Britain, Italy and France are below the value for Germany.
Climate protection: The CO2 footprint was an invention of the industry
There are big differences in CO not only between individual countries2Emissions, even within Germany, are very large, says Lara Hein: “The ten percent of the population with the highest incomes cause more greenhouse gases than the entire lower half of income combined.” Any super-rich person who would make their lifestyle more climate-friendly could therefore make a particularly large contribution.
Historical responsibility
Since the beginning of the industrial revolution in 1850, Germany has been one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases. It ranks sixth worldwide. This also creates global responsibility for the climate crisis.
Even though Germany currently only causes around two percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, it has a great historical responsibility for the climate change that has already occurred. Since 1850, more than 92 billion tons of greenhouse gases have been emitted in this country. This puts Germany in sixth place on the list of the largest polluters. Only the USA, China, Russia, Great Britain and Brazil have recorded more CO in the past2 and other greenhouse gases released. This also creates a responsibility for finding a way out of the climate crisis. “The industrialized countries should support the efforts of emerging and developing countries to act in a climate-friendly manner.” To do this, these investments in fossil energies must stop – global technology transfer and financial support towards renewable energies are needed. Only then can it be possible to ensure that these countries do not increase their greenhouse gas emissions as they become more prosperous.
Instead of continuing to deal with the CO2-footprint, Lara Hein advocates a different symbol: “Better is the CO2-Handprint. He stands for active steps to combat the climate crisis. This can happen in various areas of life, including personal behavior, political commitment and professional decisions.” Whatever is not going perfectly, it is important to also mention the positive things.