This map layer with a time line shows the development of per capita emissions of the greenhouse gas CO2 between 1970 and 2016, classified into five classes. The colourless and odourless gas, CO2 (carbon dioxide), which forms when fossil fuels are burned as well as during cellular respiration of living organisms, belongs to the so-called greenhouse gases which affect the balance of radiation in the atmosphere and therefore have a direct influence on climate. Even if the share of CO2 in the atmosphere is extremely low in comparison to other gases, it plays a significant role for the climate and therefore also in the international climate debate. In the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, the international community agreed on a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for the first time (see below for further information).
© picture-alliance / dpa
Climate change and conflicts
In many publications, media reports and public debates, a direct link between climate change and violent conflicts is established. A causal link, however, is disputed in scientific circles. Many researchers warn of a simplified presentation of extremely complex and dynamic processes,...
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