What is a carbon footprint?

Carbon footprint is a simple way to calculate the climate pollution caused by your lifestyle over a year.

It is based on how you heat or cool your home, how you move from one place to another, what you eat and what products you buy and use.

A carbon footprint is measured in metric tons of CO₂-equivalent (CO₂e) and represents the greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere each year as a result of your activities.

Learn more (Wikipedia)

Video explaining carbon footprint (2:00)

The simplest path for individuals

For individuals addressing their personal carbon footprint, the scientifically accepted approach follows three steps:

1. Measure your personal CO₂ emissions
2. Reduce what you can through lifestyle and energy choices
3. Remove your unavoidable emissions using certified, ex-post carbon removal

Average annual footprints

Your footprint depends a lot on where you live and how you live.

The global average carbon footprint is around 5 metric tons of CO₂ per person per year, though estimates vary by methodology.

The long-term global goal is to reduce average emissions to under 2 tons per person to align with climate stabilisation targets.

Average annual footprints around the world:
15-20 tons in North America
6-10 tons in Europe
7-9 tons in China
2-3 tons in India
1-2 tons in Sub-Saharan Africa

Links to country-specific lists:
World Population Review - Carbon Footprint by Country
Global Economy - CO2 emissions per capita
Wikipedia - List of countries by CO2 emissions per capita

What adds up to my footprint?

  • Home

    heating, cooling, electricity, hot water

  • Travel

    flights, car, public transport

  • Food

    meat and dairy, and ways of production

  • Stuff

    clothes, electronics, furniture, and more

Practical examples of amounts

  • These examples are approximate and based on average estimates. Actual emissions vary by location, technology, and usage patterns.

  • 10 kg roughly removes:

    • Driving a petrol car 40–60 km
    • Eating 1-2 beef or 3–4 chicken meals
    • Producing a cotton t-shirt
    • Sending 12,000 emails
    • 1 spa or sauna visit

  • 100 kg roughly removes:

    • Month of typical European/US diet
    • Heating a home for 2–4 cold days
    • Producing a new pair of jeans
    • Streaming video for 200–300 hours
    • 2–3 uber trips of 20–25 km each

  • 1 ton roughly removes:

    • 1–2 months of modern living
    • Short-haul return flight (3-5 hours)
    • Producing new laptop + smartphone
    • Year of laundry in a large household
    • 25–30 hotel nights

  • 10 tons roughly removes:

    • Average annual footprint in Europe
    • Half of annual footprint in the US
    • Long-haul return flight for two
    • Producing 2.5 tonnes of plastic
    • Producing 1,000 kg of beef
    • Producing 2,000–2,500 kg of rice

Where can I calculate my footprint?

So how much should I remove?

There is no single number that fits everyone - but there are clear, practical ways for individuals to approach carbon removal.

Once you have measured your carbon footprint and reduced what you reasonably can, carbon removal is about addressing the remaining emissions that are hard or impossible to eliminate today. These residual emissions are different for everyone and depend on lifestyle, location, and personal choices.

A helpful way to think about it is to focus on:

  • The part of your footprint that remains after reductions
  • How you want to take responsibility for those emissions
  • What feels realistic and sustainable for you

In practice, individuals tend to choose one of three common paths:

  1. Remove specific emissions
    Some people start by removing emissions from specific activities or purchases, for example a flight, a month of commuting, daily coffee, or a new product like clothing or electronics. This approach works well if you want a clear link between actions and removals.
  2. Remove remaining emissions on an ongoing basis (recurring carbon removal)
    Others choose a recurring monthly amount to continuously remove their residual emissions over time. This mirrors how emissions occur in everyday life and supports steady progress toward personal net zero.
  3. Remove your full remaining footprint
    Some individuals choose to remove a larger amount in one go, such as one ton, their annual footprint, or even their estimated lifetime emissions. This approach fits people who want to take clear responsibility and reach personal net zero without delay.

What matters most is not choosing the smallest possible number, but choosing an amount that reflects your values and turns intent into real, durable, and independently verified impact.

All carbon removal purchased through Remove Carbon Today is certified to physically remove CO₂ from the atmosphere and durably store it for 100+ years, with public registry proof provided within a month of purchase.

Every kilogram counts.

Combine products to match the exact amount of your carbon footprint you want to remove - one-time or monthly. Your carbon will be removed and durably stored by our certified partners and we'll send you proof of completion within a month.

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