The Paris Agreement sets a clear goal: limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Translated to the individual scale, this goal corresponds to an annual carbon budget of 2 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Yet the average French person emits 8.9 tonnes per year. The gap is enormous. How do we close it? What does it actually mean to live within this carbon budget? This article explains everything.
What is an individual carbon budget?
A carbon budget is the maximum amount of greenhouse gases that a person, a company, or a country can emit over a given period to stay on the climate trajectory set by international agreements. At the global scale, the IPCC has calculated that approximately 400 gigatonnes of CO2 remain to be emitted in total to maintain a 67% chance of staying below 1.5°C of warming (at the current rate, this budget would be exhausted in less than ten years).
Divided equally among every inhabitant of the planet, this envelope corresponds to about 2 tonnes of CO2e per year. This is the famous "2-tonne" target often cited in climate transition discussions.
Where do the French stand today?
To fully grasp the scale of the journey ahead, start by calculating your personal carbon footprint. In France, the national average stands at 8.9 tonnes of CO2e per person per year according to the most recent data from ADEME and the High Council for Climate (2023-2024). This figure includes all emissions linked to our lifestyle, including those generated abroad for the manufacture of our imported goods.
The breakdown is approximately as follows:
- Transportation: 2.4 tonnes (of which 1.7 t for private cars)
- Food: 2.2 tonnes (of which 1.0 t for animal products)
- Housing: 1.7 tonnes (heating, hot water, household appliances)
- Consumer goods: 1.5 tonnes (textiles, electronics, furniture)
- Public services and other: 1.1 tonnes (healthcare, education, administration)
We are therefore 4.5 times above the carbon budget compatible with the Paris Agreement. A challenge that seems insurmountable from here, but one that can be approached methodically.
The gap between 8.9 tonnes and 2 tonnes
"Going from 8.9 t to 2 t of CO2 per year is not a marginal adjustment. It is a profound transformation of our lifestyle, our infrastructure, and our economy."
— High Council for Climate, 2023 annual report
To give a concrete idea of what 2 tonnes of CO2e represents, here are some benchmarks:
- A round-trip flight from Paris to New York emits approximately 1.7 tonnes — that's 85% of the entire annual budget
- A combustion-engine car traveling 15,000 km emits approximately 2.1 tonnes — already beyond the budget
- An average omnivore diet generates 2.2 tonnes — also above the total budget
These figures illustrate the scale of the systemic change needed. It's not just about turning off the light when you leave a room.
Is it really possible to live at 2 tonnes?
The good news is that yes — within a transformed economic and infrastructure system. Studies show that countries like Costa Rica or certain regions of Southeast Asia have per capita footprints below 3 tonnes while offering a satisfactory quality of life. In Europe, committed individuals manage to reach 4 to 5 tonnes with significant effort, and some activists get close to 2 tonnes with radical changes.
The main levers for massively reducing your footprint:
- Stop flying or drastically limit air travel (saving 0 to 2 tonnes depending on frequency)
- Give up the combustion-engine car in favor of cycling, public transit, or an electric vehicle (saving 1 to 2 tonnes)
- Reduce meat consumption, especially beef (saving 0.5 to 1 tonne)
- Insulate your home and switch to electric heating or a heat pump (saving 0.5 to 1.5 tonnes)
- Buy fewer new goods and extend the lifespan of existing ones (variable savings)
The concept of a collective carbon budget
It is important to understand that the individual carbon budget does not exist in a vacuum. A significant portion of our footprint (the famous 1.1 tonnes from "public services") cannot be reduced at the individual level: we all benefit from roads, hospitals, a military, and an administration whose footprint is collectively attributed to us.
That is why individual action must go hand in hand with political and collective action. Voting for ambitious climate policies, getting involved in associations, choosing virtuous companies: all of this is part of the carbon equation, even if it doesn't show up in your personal calculator.
Tracking your carbon budget throughout the year
Like a financial budget, a carbon budget benefits from regular monitoring. Here is a practical method:
- January: calculate your previous year's footprint with a recognized tool
- Every quarter: identify the highest-emitting categories and set a reduction target
- Before every major decision (buying a car, traveling, renovating): assess the carbon impact
- Continuously: use a tracking app for everyday spending
To go further in understanding your situation compared to the national average, check out our article on the carbon footprint of the French in 2024, which details trends by sector and by sociodemographic profile.
The realistic trajectory toward 2 tonnes
The Paris Agreement calls for achieving carbon neutrality worldwide by 2050. For France, this means a gradual reduction: from 8.9 t today to about 5 t in 2030, 3 t in 2040, and 2 t in 2050. It is not an immediate plunge downward, but a steady descent curve.
This trajectory is driven by:
- The decarbonization of the energy mix (more renewables, fewer fossil fuels)
- The electrification of uses (vehicles, heating, industry)
- Individual behavior changes (food, transport, consumption)
- Public policies (regulation, taxation, investment)
Conclusion: know your budget to manage it better
Knowing that you have an annual carbon budget of 2 tonnes is like knowing your monthly salary: it provides a framework for decisions. Every purchase, every trip, every meal can be seen through this lens. Not to live in permanent guilt, but to make informed choices and prioritize the actions that have the most impact. The carbon budget is the most concrete climate management tool there is.