Emissions

Emissions refer to the release of gases or substances into the environment. Greenhouse gas emissions increase the concentration of climate-damaging gases in the atmosphere—whether through natural processes or human activities.

Relevance to climate protection

Anthropogenic emissions, i.e., greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity, intensify the natural greenhouse effect and accelerate global warming. Since the beginning of industrialization, carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions have risen by around 44 %, reaching concentrations of over 400 ppm (parts per million). In recent years, global emissions have exceeded 56 billion tons of CO₂-equivalent per year. Agriculture, energy supply, and industry are among the largest emitters.

Main sources and greenhouse gases

• CO₂: Produced by burning fossil fuels and industrial processes; remains in the atmosphere for a long time.
• Methane (CH₄): Primarily from agriculture, energy production, and landfills; particularly potent as a greenhouse gas.
• Nitrous oxide (N₂O): Mainly from agriculture due to fertilizers and soils; about 298 times more climate-impacting than CO₂.
• F-gases (fluorinated gases): Used for example as refrigerants; can have an extremely high global warming potential, in some cases thousands of times that of CO₂.

Developments in Germany

Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions have fallen significantly since 1990: from around 1,252 million tons of CO₂-equivalent to about 672 million tons in 2023. However, to meet the requirements of the Federal Climate Change Act and the commitments under the Paris Agreement—and to achieve climate neutrality by 2045—further substantial and sustained emission reductions are essential.

Mitigation and technological approaches

A range of measures is available to reduce emissions, from renewable energy and efficiency improvements to innovative technologies. In industry, high-temperature heat pumps can support decarbonization by utilizing waste heat or renewable energy sources to provide process heat at high temperature levels. Technologies such as SPH’s ThermBooster™ demonstrate that even in traditionally fossil fuel-intensive sectors—such as chemicals, paper, or food processing—CO₂ emissions can be significantly reduced.

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https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treibhausgas

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gas_emissions

https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/data/environmental-indicators/indicator-greenhouse-gas-emissions