A carbon budget is the maximum cumulative amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) humanity can emit into the atmosphere to have a likely chance of limiting global warming to a specific target, such as 1.5°C. It serves as a finite, science-based limit that informs crucial climate policies and investment strategies, including the carbon markets Homaio provides access to.
A carbon budget represents the total quantity of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that can be released over a specific period while keeping global temperature rise below a predefined threshold, as outlined in the Paris Agreement. Think of it as a definitive "spending cap" for emissions. This concept is critical because it transforms the abstract goal of fighting climate change into a tangible, quantifiable metric, creating a clear deadline for global decarbonization. It is the scientific foundation upon which governments build climate policies and corporations set their net-zero targets.
The calculation of the remaining carbon budget is primarily led by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It is based on the well-established physical relationship between cumulative CO2 emissions and the increase in global surface temperature.
Key components in determining the budget include:
- The Temperature Target: Most commonly 1.5°C or "well-below" 2°C above pre-industrial levels. A stricter target means a smaller budget.
- The Probability of Success: The budget is often defined with a specific likelihood (e.g., a 67% or 50% chance) of staying below the temperature target. Higher certainty requires a more conservative (smaller) budget.
- Historical Emissions: All emissions released to date must be subtracted from the total budget to determine what remains.
- Non-CO2 Factors: The warming effects of other greenhouse gases like methane are also factored into the calculation.
Understanding this finite limit is essential for investors, as it underpins the value and urgency of climate-related assets. As the budget shrinks, the pressure on industries to decarbonize intensifies, directly influencing the price of carbon allowances in compliance markets.
Concrete Examples
- Global Policy Level: The IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) estimates that to have a 50% chance of limiting warming to 1.5°C, the remaining global carbon budget from the start of 2020 was approximately 500 gigatonnes of CO₂. Governments use this global figure to inform their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which are their individual pledges to reduce emissions.
- Market Mechanism Level: The European Union's Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) operates with a "cap" on the total amount of emissions allowed for over 10,000 industrial installations. This cap is, in effect, a regional carbon budget for the covered sectors. It is designed to decrease over time, aligning with the EU's goal to stay within its share of the global carbon budget. When you invest in European Union Allowances (EUAs) through a platform like Homaio, you are investing in an instrument born directly from this principle of a shrinking, regulated emissions budget
[Learn more about the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)].
For the most authoritative data, refer to the official IPCC Assessment Reports.