Carbon footprint

Regional CO₂ footprint

For the FrankfurtRhineMain area, there is a global CO₂ balance. In the evaluation, direct emissions and so-called upstream chains are considered. Direct emissions are those resulting from the combustion of coal, oil and natural gas, waste incineration, fermentation in biogas plants and sewage gas plants, as well as from the combustion of the fuels gasoline, diesel and kerosene.The upstream chains considered also take into account the emissions that already occur during the extraction, mining, transport and further processing of the energy sources.

CO₂ balance: emissions from electricity consumption greatest

In 2019, a total of more than 24 million tons of CO₂ equivalents of greenhouse gases were released throughout the association as a result of energy consumption. The share of total emissions accounted for by the individual energy sources varies. At 37 percent, electricity has the highest share of total emissions.

The balance shows that renewable energies also cause emissions. They are generated during raw material extraction or production, for example of a wind turbine or a photovoltaic module. However, their share of total emissions is negligible.

Energy consumption: Heat contributes least to emissions

When emissions are broken down into electricity, heat and fuels, electricity accounts for the largest share of total emissions at just under 37 percent. This is followed by fossil fuels with 32 percent and heat consumption with 31 percent.

This shows that although electricity has the smallest share of energy consumption, it still has the largest share of emissions. Conversely, heat has the largest share of energy consumption but the smallest share of emissions. The share of fuels in energy consumption and emissions is comparably high.

CO₂ balance by sector: almost 43 percent of emissions from mobility alone

Mobility accounts for almost 43 percent of total emissions in the FrankfurtRhineMain region. This is followed at a considerable distance by industry with 22 percent and private households with 20 percent. Trade, commerce and services contribute 14 percent to total emissions. Public institutions, including infrastructure, account for the smallest share of greenhouse gas emissions at just over 1 percent.

CO₂ balance: per capita

Annual per capita emissions in the FrankfurtRhineMain region average 10 tons of CO₂ equivalents . The basis for this is the global CO₂ balance for 2019, divided by the number of people living in the FrankfurtRhineMain region (according to population data for 2019, around 2,431,805). However, this balance only includes greenhouse gas emissions from energy consumption. Other emissions, such as those caused by food consumption, are not included. The total CO₂ balance per person is therefore even higher.