CO2 emissions - Measuring the CO2 footprint of fossil fuels
An international team of researchers has made a breakthrough in determining the carbon footprint of fossil fuels.
Everyone should know by now that excessive carbon dioxide emissions are one of the main drivers of global climate change. So far, however, it has not been possible to adequately determine how large the share of emissions is that is caused by the burning of fossil fuels.
An international team of researchers that has carried out measurements over a period of more than 10 years is now in a position to make a more differentiated statement. On the basis of the measurement results, the corresponding share of the total emissions could be calculated. This also enabled the scientists to prove that the emissions during the Corona pandemic were lower than expected.
The researchers are thus making an important contribution to the fight against climate change, because now the success of climate policy measures can also be better assessed.
What is thecarbon footprint?
Thecarbon footprint is the measurement of the carbon dioxide balance. Ideally, the entire life cycle of a product is taken into account. This includes all emissions that occur:
For private use, for example, the German government provides a CO2 calculator.
"Our results suggest that a network of continuous monitoring sites could have great potential for assessing CO₂ from fossil fuels at a regional level," says Dr Christoph Gerbig, one of the study's co-authors.
National and international measurement networks already exist for this purpose, but they would have to be further expanded in order to use the new method. The study was published in the journal Science Advances.
