Climate villains

Some everyday choices have an outsized impact on your carbon footprint compared to others. Knowing which ones matter most helps you focus your effort where it counts.

Flying

Aviation is one of the most concentrated sources of personal emissions. Globally, it accounts for about 2.5% of CO₂ emissions, but its full climate impact is larger, an estimated 4% of global warming to date, once non-CO₂ effects like contrails and high-altitude warming are included. A single long-haul flight can generate several tonnes of CO₂e per person in just a few hours, more than many people emit in a year through everyday activities. Flying is also highly unequal: just 10% of the world's population flies in a typical year.

Animal agriculture

Livestock farming accounts for around 12% of global human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's 2023 assessment. This comes not just from CO₂, but significantly from methane and nitrous oxide, both far more potent greenhouse gases than CO₂ over shorter timeframes. Where and how meat is produced makes some difference, but doesn't change the underlying picture: animal agriculture is resource- and emissions-intensive wherever it happens, largely due to the land and feed crops it requires.

Cars

Switching from a petrol or diesel car to an electric one meaningfully cuts emissions. But the biggest reduction comes from driving less altogether, through public transport, cycling, or car-sharing, since manufacturing any vehicle also carries a climate cost.

Finding your own biggest sources

Everyone's footprint looks different. Calculate your carbon footprint here to see which parts of your lifestyle matter most, and where cutting back would have the biggest impact.