A target based on climate science
The target of **reducing individual carbon footprints to less than 2 tonnes per year **is **linked to international commitments **to limit global warming to +2°C by 2100, as set out in the Paris Climate Agreement adopted in 2015.
This threshold is extrapolated from IPCC scenarios and it is estimated that emissions would need to be limited to around 2 tonnes of CO₂e per person per year by 2050.
Intermediate target: 2 tonnes, ideal: less than 1 tonne
- We must achieve less than 2 tonnes: to stay below +2°C of warming
- **We should even aim for less than 1 tonne to hope to stay below +1.5 °C, a more ambitious scenario but one recommended by scientists
Today, the average Swiss person emits between 10 and 14 tonnes of CO₂e per year. These emissions **must therefore be reduced by around 80% by 2050.
Individual AND collective progress
Reducing your individual carbon footprint is essential, but it is not enough. We also need to:
- Infrastructure to evolve (mobility, heating, networks)
- Ensure that public policies support change
- Ensure that businesses and institutions do their part
Example: if a city strongly encourages cycling (or other low-carbon modes of transport), this encourages more people to take it up, which **reinforces the collective dynamic **and supports the overall objective.
I'm already at 4 or 5 tonnes
Well done! If your footprint is around** 4 or 5 tonnes**, you have already **made a huge part of the progress **you could make at your level. You can continue to progress at your own pace, without guilt but with commitment.
Every step counts. Every low-carbon choice contributes to change.
Conclusion – Less than 2 tonnes: a realistic and urgent target
The target of** 2 tonnes of CO₂e per person per year **is a **benchmark **that marks a level to be achieved in order to limit climate change and its effects as much as possible. Achieving this goal requires both individual AND collective efforts.
To find out more:
https://www.ge.ch/document/bilan-carbone-du-territoire-cantonal-resultats-encourageants
https://www.ge.ch/dossier/durabilite-climat/climat/route-neutralite-carbone#:~:text=Celle-ci fixe des objectifs plus ambitieux :,changements climatiques%2C leurs effets étant déjà perceptibles.
https://www.bafu.admin.ch/bafu/fr/home/themes/climat/info-specialistes/reduction-emissions/objectifs-reduction/objectif-2050.html#:~:text=L%27objectif%20de%20net%20z%C3%A9ro,(objectif%20de%20z%C3%A9ro%20net)