The way electricity is generated makes a big difference to carbon footprints. A grid powered by high emissions coal will create a lot more carbon dioxide than a grid powered by renewables like solar and wind. By switching to 100% renewable electricity, you can dramatically reduce your carbon footprint for yourself and everyone you live with. Switching to renewables is one of the fastest changes you can make and the greenest change you can make is choosing a company that is 100% renewables rather than one that offers green tariffs as part of their overall offering (although that’s still better than doing nothing).
Did you know?
In many countries, generating renewable electricity is even cheaper than fossil fuels. The largest wind turbine scan generate enough power for a home for a day with just one rotation.
Carbon inequality
Rich countries have been steadily increasing emissions since the Industrial Revolution, and the growth has been a key factor in the increase in wealth and living standards seen across the developed world. However, these changes have not been equal, and now a deep-seated carbon inequality exists within and across countries.
This can be seen in the difference in personal carbon footprints. Whilst the global average is around five tonnes, there are big differences between individuals. The bottom 50% of people (almost 4 billion) have a carbon footprint of just 1.6 tonnes and contribute 12% of the total. At the other end of the scale, the top 1% have footprints of over 100 tonnes, so just 80 million people contribute 17% of all emissions.
A100-tonne lifestyle would include two or more long-haul flights every year, a big house (or houses), more than one car, high levels of daily spending, multiple holidays, and more than £1 million in pensions and investments. When 800 million people don’t have access to electricity, the carbon inequality with a 1.6-tonne lifestyle is stark.
Carbon inequality goes even deeper than the standard of living differences. Often people with the lowest carbon footprints are most vulnerable to climate change. In 2022 Pakistan provided a tragic example of this as a country where the average carbon footprint is under one tonne and was ravaged by floods that devasted the agricultural economy.
However, if there is some good news, the world is starting to react with Loss and Damage, whereby wealthy countries pay poor countries for the effects of climate change disasters.
But right now, those with the largest footprints and the best ability to adapt to climate change need to shoulder the responsibility for the largest cuts.