Remaining CO2 budget
If we want to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, we only have a limited CO2 budget available. If we emit more CO2 than the CO2 budget allows, we will exceed the 1.5 degree limit of global warming with irreversible damage to all humans and animals on the planet. With our CO2 budget clock you can see how much time we have left.
The ForTomorrow CO2 budget clock
We have a limited CO2 budget in the world for the 1.5 degree target. The following CO2 budget clock shows how long it will take until our CO2 emissions exceed the 1.5-degree target. We currently emit 1,337 Tonnes of CO2 every second worldwide. For comparison: This corresponds to 600 flights from Berlin to New York with an Airbus A320 (myclimate flight calculator).
How do we know how much CO2 budget we have left?
In its 2021 report, the IPCC provides an overview in the “The Physical Science Basis” section of how much CO2 can be emitted until we break through the 1.5 to 2.0 degree sound barrier. We use this data (page 28) as the basis for our CO2 budget clock.
| How warm it gets (degree celsius) | How much CO2 budget we have left (billion Tonnes)* |
|---|---|
| 1,5 | 300 |
| 1,7 | 550 |
| 2,0 | 900 |
Source: IPCC, 2021
*The data refer to the year 2020. From 2020 onwards, we have the respective CO2 budget before we reach the temperatures.
What happens if we exceed the CO2 budget?
Global warming of 1.5 degrees has a significant impact on all levels of life on Earth: Economic damage, extinction of animal and plant species and struggles over the distribution of water and resources.
In order to protect our society, we must significantly reduce our CO2 emissions. Otherwise, we will face costs of hundreds of billions in the medium to long term.
But we can do something about it. With ForTomorrow, you can help reduce the European Union’s CO2 emissions. By canceling EU emission rights, we can reduce CO2 emissions from European industry and drive forward the energy transition.