Comparison of 87 CO2 reduction projects

 

Table of Contents

1：What is “Project Drawdown”?

2：Comparison of reductions in CO2 emissions per person per day

3：Comparison of CO2 emission reductions per person per year

1：What is “Project Drawdown”?

We mainly used data from Japan’s Ministry of the Environment on “Would you still bring your luggage on board a plane after looking at this data?” to compare CO2 emission reductions per person per day. This time, we will use data from “Project Drawdown” to compare with more CO2 emission reduction projects.

“Project Drawdown” brought together an international group of 190 researchers, experts, and scientists to compile realistic and bold solutions to climate change. The results were collected and published in the book Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming. Based on in-depth research by the world’s leading scientists and policymakers, the book is highly acclaimed around the world as a comprehensive set of solutions for the years 2020-2050.

We can find the latest data at “Project Drawdown(https://drawdown.org)“. We used this latest data to compare the CO2 emission reductions that could be achieved by stopping the use of 20 kg of luggage on airplanes when traveling to Japan with each of the climate change measures proposed in the book. The data we used is from Scenario 1, a scenario that limits the temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius by 2100. The Project Drawdown also includes Scenario 2, which limits temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

 

Reduction in CO2 emissions（Drawdown Scenario 1 and 2）

	SOLUTION	SECTOR(S)	SCENARIO 1	SCENARIO 2
			Gigatons CO2 Equivalent Reduced / Sequestered (2020–2050)
1	Reduced Food Waste	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use / Land Sinks	88.5	102.2
2	Plant-Rich Diets	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use / Land Sinks	78.3	103.1
3	Family Planning and Education	Health and Education	68.9	68.9
4	Refrigerant Management	Industry / Buildings	57.2	57.2
5	Tropical Forest Restoration	Land Sinks	54.5	85.1
6	Onshore Wind Turbines	Electricity	47.0	143.6
7	Alternative Refrigerants	Industry / Buildings	42.7	48.8
8	Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaics	Electricity	40.8	111.6
9	Clean Cooking	Buildings	31.4	76.3
10	Distributed Solar Photovoltaics	Electricity	26.7	64.9
11	Silvopasture	Land Sinks	26.6	42.3
12	Methane Leak Management	Other Energy	25.8	31.3
13	Peatland Protection and Rewetting	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use / Land Sinks	25.4	40.3
14	Tree Plantations (on Degraded Land)	Land Sinks	22.0	35.1
15	Temperate Forest Restoration	Land Sinks	19.4	27.9
16	Concentrated Solar Power	Electricity	18.0	21.5
17	Perennial Staple Crops	Land Sinks	16.3	32.9
18	Insulation	Electricity / Buildings	15.4	18.5
19	Regenerative Annual Cropping	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use / Land Sinks	15.1	23.2
20	Tree Intercropping	Land Sinks	15.0	24.4
21	LED Lighting	Electricity	14.5	15.7
22	Managed Grazing	Land Sinks	13.7	20.9
23	Multistrata Agroforestry	Land Sinks	13.3	23.9
24	Conservation Agriculture	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use / Land Sinks	12.8	8.1
25	Abandoned Farmland Restoration	Land Sinks	12.5	20.3
26	Recycling	Industry	10.4	11.3
27	Offshore Wind Turbines	Electricity	10.2	9.9
28	Improved Rice Production	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use / Land Sinks	9.9	14.4
29	Building Automation Systems	Electricity / Buildings	9.6	14.0
30	Public Transit	Transportation	9.4	15.4
31	Efficient Trucks	Transportation	9.2	10.8
32	Carpooling	Transportation	9.1	11.1
33	High-Performance Glass	Electricity / Buildings	8.8	11.3
34	Indigenous Peoples’ Forest Tenure	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use / Land Sinks	8.7	12.5
35	Bamboo Production	Land Sinks	7.7	19.6
36	Alternative Cement	Industry	7.7	15.6
37	Electric Cars	Transportation	7.7	9.8
38	Smart Thermostats	Electricity / Buildings	6.9	7.3
39	Efficient Ocean Shipping	Transportation	6.7	9.8
40	Waste to Energy	Electricity / Industry	6.3	5.2
41	District Heating	Electricity / Buildings	6.2	9.7
42	Geothermal Power	Electricity	6.2	9.2
43	Methane Digesters	Electricity / Industry	6.0	7.1
44	Forest Protection	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use / Land Sinks	5.6	8.8
45	Efficient Aviation	Transportation	5.3	5.8
46	Biogas for Cooking	Buildings	4.7	9.7
47	Improved Cattle Feed	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use	4.4	15.1
48	Recycled Metals	Industry	4.3	12.3
49	High-Efficiency Heat Pumps	Electricity / Buildings	4.0	9.1
50	Perennial Biomass Production	Land Sinks	4.0	7.0
51	Seafloor Protection	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use	3.8	5.1
52	Reduced Plastics	Industry	3.8	5.4
53	Solar Hot Water	Electricity / Buildings	3.4	13.7
54	Grassland Protection	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use / Land Sinks	3.4	4.3
55	Improved Manure Management	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use	3.3	6.1
56	Nuclear Power	Electricity	3.2	3.6
57	System of Rice Intensification	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use / Land Sinks	2.9	4.4
58	Walkable Cities	Transportation	2.8	3.5
59	Nutrient Management	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use	2.8	11.5
60	Bicycle Infrastructure	Transportation	2.7	4.6
61	Telepresence	Transportation	2.6	4.4
62	Biomass Power	Electricity	2.6	3.6
63	Macroalgae Protection and Restoration	Coastal and Ocean Sinks	2.6	3.8
64	Seaweed Farming	Coastal and Ocean Sinks / Coastal and Ocean Sinks	2.5	4.7
65	Recycled Paper	Industry	2.3	2.9
66	Electric Trains	Transportation	1.9	3.3
67	Small Hydropower	Electricity	1.7	3.2
68	Hybrid Cars	Transportation	1.6	4.7
69	Electric Bicycles	Transportation	1.4	1.6
70	Biochar Production	Engineered Sinks	1.4	3.0
71	Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use / Land Sinks	1.4	0.7
72	Bioplastics	Industry	1.3	2.5
73	Ocean Power	Electricity	1.3	0.8
74	High-Speed Rail	Transportation	1.3	3.6
75	Coastal Wetland Protection	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use / Coastal and Ocean Sinks	1.2	1.6
76	Farm Irrigation Efficiency	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use	1.1	2.1
77	Composting	Industry	1.1	1.4
78	Improved Fisheries	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use / Coastal and Ocean Sinks	1.0	1.5
79	Low-Flow Fixtures	Electricity / Buildings	0.9	1.5
80	Coastal Wetland Restoration	Coastal and Ocean Sinks	0.8	1.0
81	Water Distribution Efficiency	Electricity	0.6	0.9
82	Green and Cool Roofs	Electricity / Buildings	0.5	1.0
83	Recycled Plastics	Industry	0.5	1.7
84	Improved Aquaculture	Food, Agriculture, and Land Use	0.5	0.8
85	Dynamic Glass	Electricity / Buildings	0.3	0.5
86	Micro Wind Turbines	Electricity	0.1	0.1
Total			1,047.0	1,638.7

Source： Project Drawdown

 

 

2：Comparison of reductions in CO2 emissions per person per day

In calculating the per capita CO2 emission reductions in Project Drawdown, we used the world population as of 2020 (7.82 billion), the OECD population (1.37 billion), and the population of high-income countries (1.24 billion). income country populations were used because developed countries have more CO2 emissions than developed countries and therefore have more room to reduce their CO2 emissions. Note that in 2019 data, the OECD accounts for 34% of global CO2 emissions, and High-income countries account for 35%.

The largest CO2 reduction per person per day is in Reduced Food Waste, the second largest is in Plant-Rich Diets by calculating the 86 CO2 reduction projects listed in the Project Drawdown (data from Scenario 1). The reduction in daily CO2 emissions from “Reduced Food Waste” is 1.0 kg per capita for the global population, 5.9 kg per capita for the OECD population, and 6.5 kg per capita for the population of high-income countries.

As we analyzed in “Would you still bring your luggage on board a plane after looking at this data?“, the CO2 emission reduction (one-way average from 19 countries) of not carrying 20 kg of luggage on airplanes when traveling to Japan is 74.5 kg. This 74.5 kg is more than 10 times more effective than any CO2 emission reduction effect listed in “Project Drawdown”.

 

Daily CO2 emissions reduction per capita (kg)

SOLUTION	World population	OECD poluration	High income population
Reduced 20kg luggage (One way to Japan)	74.50	74.50	74.50
Reduced Food Waste	1.03	5.90	6.51
Plant-Rich Diets	0.91	5.22	5.76
Family Planning and Education	0.80	4.59	5.07
Refrigerant Management	0.67	3.81	4.21
Tropical Forest Restoration	0.64	3.63	4.01
Onshore Wind Turbines	0.55	3.13	3.46
Alternative Refrigerants	0.50	2.85	3.14
Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaics	0.48	2.72	3.00
Clean Cooking	0.37	2.09	2.31
Distributed Solar Photovoltaics	0.31	1.78	1.96
Silvopasture	0.31	1.77	1.96
Methane Leak Management	0.30	1.72	1.90
Peatland Protection and Rewetting	0.30	1.69	1.87
Tree Plantations (on Degraded Land)	0.26	1.47	1.62
Temperate Forest Restoration	0.23	1.29	1.43
Concentrated Solar Power	0.21	1.20	1.32
Perennial Staple Crops	0.19	1.09	1.20
Insulation	0.18	1.03	1.13
Regenerative Annual Cropping	0.18	1.01	1.11
Tree Intercropping	0.18	1.00	1.11
LED Lighting	0.17	0.96	1.06
Managed Grazing	0.16	0.91	1.01
Multistrata Agroforestry	0.15	0.88	0.98
Conservation Agriculture	0.15	0.85	0.94
Abandoned Farmland Restoration	0.15	0.83	0.92
Recycling	0.12	0.69	0.76
Offshore Wind Turbines	0.12	0.68	0.75
Improved Rice Production	0.12	0.66	0.72
Building Automation Systems	0.11	0.64	0.70
Public Transit	0.11	0.63	0.69
Efficient Trucks	0.11	0.61	0.67
Carpooling	0.11	0.60	0.67
High-Performance Glass	0.10	0.59	0.65
Indigenous Peoples’ Forest Tenure	0.10	0.58	0.64
Bamboo Production	0.09	0.51	0.57
Alternative Cement	0.09	0.51	0.57
Electric Cars	0.09	0.51	0.56
Smart Thermostats	0.08	0.46	0.51
Efficient Ocean Shipping	0.08	0.45	0.49
Waste to Energy	0.07	0.42	0.46
District Heating	0.07	0.41	0.45
Geothermal Power	0.07	0.41	0.45
Methane Digesters	0.07	0.40	0.44
Forest Protection	0.06	0.37	0.41
Efficient Aviation	0.06	0.35	0.39
Biogas for Cooking	0.05	0.31	0.34
Improved Cattle Feed	0.05	0.29	0.33
Recycled Metals	0.05	0.29	0.32
High-Efficiency Heat Pumps	0.05	0.27	0.30
Perennial Biomass Production	0.05	0.27	0.29
Seafloor Protection	0.04	0.25	0.28
Reduced Plastics	0.04	0.25	0.28
Solar Hot Water	0.04	0.23	0.25
Grassland Protection	0.04	0.22	0.25
Improved Manure Management	0.04	0.22	0.25
Nuclear Power	0.04	0.21	0.23
System of Rice Intensification	0.03	0.19	0.21
Walkable Cities	0.03	0.19	0.21
Nutrient Management	0.03	0.18	0.20
Bicycle Infrastructure	0.03	0.18	0.20
Telepresence	0.03	0.18	0.19
Biomass Power	0.03	0.17	0.19
Macroalgae Protection and Restoration	0.03	0.17	0.19
Seaweed Farming	0.03	0.17	0.18
Recycled Paper	0.03	0.15	0.17
Electric Trains	0.02	0.13	0.14
Small Hydropower	0.02	0.11	0.12
Hybrid Cars	0.02	0.11	0.12
Electric Bicycles	0.02	0.09	0.10
Biochar Production	0.02	0.09	0.10
Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders	0.02	0.09	0.10
Bioplastics	0.02	0.09	0.10
Ocean Power	0.01	0.08	0.09
High-Speed Rail	0.01	0.08	0.09
Coastal Wetland Protection	0.01	0.08	0.09
Farm Irrigation Efficiency	0.01	0.08	0.08
Composting	0.01	0.08	0.08
Improved Fisheries	0.01	0.07	0.07
Low-Flow Fixtures	0.01	0.06	0.07
Coastal Wetland Restoration	0.01	0.05	0.06
Water Distribution Efficiency	0.01	0.04	0.04
Green and Cool Roofs	0.01	0.04	0.04
Recycled Plastics	0.01	0.03	0.04
Improved Aquaculture	0.01	0.03	0.04
Dynamic Glass	0.004	0.02	0.03
Micro Wind Turbines	0.001	0.01	0.01

Source: Project Drawdown, Japan Tourism Agency, Worldometer, World Bank Data, ECTA, and our calculations

Note: Calculations based on Scenario 1 of Project Drawdown

 

Source: Project Drawdown, Japan Tourism Agency, Worldometer, World Bank Data, ECTA, and our calculations

Note: Per capita reduction is calculated based on the population of Scenario 1, High-income countries in Project Drawdown. “Reduced 20kg luggage” is the reduction in CO2 emissions when 20kg of luggage is not carried on board an airplane for travel to Japan (the average one-way trip from 19 countries).

 

3：Comparison of CO2 emission reductions per person per year

According to Japan’s Japan Tourism Agency’s “Consumption Trends of Foreign Visitors to Japan (2019),” foreigners visited Japan an average of 1.8 times per year. Based on the flight distance from 19 countries, the number of visitors to Japan, and the number of visits per year, the reduction in CO2 emissions per year (1.8 visits on average) resulting from one traveler not carrying 20 kg of luggage on board an airplane is 137 kg.

 

Annual CO2 emissions reduction per capita (kg)

	SOLUTION	World population	OECD poluration	High income population
1	Reduced Food Waste	377.2	2,152.9	2,377.3
2	Plant-Rich Diets	333.8	1,905.5	2,104.1
3	Family Planning and Education	293.7	1,676.1	1,850.8
4	Refrigerant Management	243.6	1,390.3	1,535.2
5	Tropical Forest Restoration	232.1	1,324.6	1,462.6
6	Onshore Wind Turbines	200.1	1,142.1	1,261.2
7	Alternative Refrigerants	182.1	1,039.5	1,147.8
8	Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaics	174.0	993.3	1,096.8
	Reduced 20kg luggage (1.8 round-trip to Japan)	136.6
9	Clean Cooking	133.7	763.4	842.9
10	Distributed Solar Photovoltaics	113.6	648.3	715.9
11	Silvopasture	113.3	646.6	714.0
12	Methane Leak Management	110.1	628.4	693.9
13	Peatland Protection and Rewetting	108.3	617.9	682.3
14	Tree Plantations (on Degraded Land)	93.9	536.2	592.0
15	Temperate Forest Restoration	82.8	472.4	521.7
16	Concentrated Solar Power	76.7	437.9	483.5
17	Perennial Staple Crops	69.6	397.5	438.9
18	Insulation	65.6	374.1	413.1
19	Regenerative Annual Cropping	64.4	367.8	406.2
20	Tree Intercropping	64.1	365.6	403.7
21	LED Lighting	61.6	351.5	388.2
22	Managed Grazing	58.5	333.8	368.5
23	Multistrata Agroforestry	56.5	322.6	356.2
24	Conservation Agriculture	54.6	311.6	344.1
25	Abandoned Farmland Restoration	53.2	303.6	335.2
26	Recycling	44.2	252.0	278.3
27	Offshore Wind Turbines	43.6	248.6	274.5
28	Improved Rice Production	42.0	239.6	264.6
29	Building Automation Systems	40.7	232.3	256.5
30	Public Transit	40.1	229.2	253.0
31	Efficient Trucks	39.0	222.6	245.8
32	Carpooling	38.6	220.4	243.4
33	High-Performance Glass	37.6	214.6	236.9
34	Indigenous Peoples’ Forest Tenure	37.0	211.4	233.4
35	Bamboo Production	32.8	187.3	206.8
36	Alternative Cement	32.8	187.3	206.8
37	Electric Cars	32.6	186.3	205.8
38	Smart Thermostats	29.5	168.1	185.6
39	Efficient Ocean Shipping	28.6	163.5	180.5
40	Waste to Energy	26.7	152.5	168.4
41	District Heating	26.3	150.3	166.0
42	Geothermal Power	26.2	149.6	165.2
43	Methane Digesters	25.7	146.4	161.7
	Reduced 20kg luggage (1.8 round-trip to Japan)		136.6
44	Forest Protection	23.7	135.0	149.1
45	Efficient Aviation	22.5	128.7	142.1
	Reduced 20kg luggage (1.8 round-trip to Japan)			136.6
46	Biogas for Cooking	19.8	113.1	124.9
47	Improved Cattle Feed	18.8	107.5	118.7
48	Recycled Metals	18.4	104.8	115.8
49	High-Efficiency Heat Pumps	17.2	98.3	108.5
50	Perennial Biomass Production	17.0	97.3	107.4
51	Seafloor Protection	16.2	92.4	102.1
52	Reduced Plastics	16.0	91.5	101.0
53	Solar Hot Water	14.5	83.0	91.6
54	Grassland Protection	14.3	81.5	90.0
55	Improved Manure Management	14.2	81.3	89.7
56	Nuclear Power	13.5	77.1	85.2
57	System of Rice Intensification	12.4	70.5	77.9
58	Walkable Cities	12.1	68.8	76.0
59	Nutrient Management	11.8	67.4	74.4
60	Bicycle Infrastructure	11.6	66.4	73.3
61	Telepresence	11.3	64.2	70.9
62	Biomass Power	11.2	63.7	70.4
63	Macroalgae Protection and Restoration	11.1	63.5	70.1
64	Seaweed Farming	10.7	60.8	67.2
65	Recycled Paper	9.7	55.5	61.2
66	Electric Trains	8.1	46.5	51.3
67	Small Hydropower	7.0	40.1	44.3
68	Hybrid Cars	6.9	39.2	43.2
69	Electric Bicycles	5.9	33.8	37.3
70	Biochar Production	5.8	33.1	36.5
71	Sustainable Intensification for Smallholders	5.8	33.1	36.5
72	Bioplastics	5.7	32.4	35.7
73	Ocean Power	5.4	30.9	34.1
74	High-Speed Rail	5.4	30.7	33.8
75	Coastal Wetland Protection	5.1	29.2	32.2
76	Farm Irrigation Efficiency	4.8	27.5	30.4
77	Composting	4.8	27.5	30.4
78	Improved Fisheries	4.3	24.6	27.1
79	Low-Flow Fixtures	4.0	22.6	25.0
80	Coastal Wetland Restoration	3.2	18.5	20.4
81	Water Distribution Efficiency	2.6	14.8	16.4
82	Green and Cool Roofs	2.3	12.9	14.2
83	Recycled Plastics	2.2	12.6	14.0
84	Improved Aquaculture	2.1	12.2	13.4
85	Dynamic Glass	1.4	8.3	9.1
86	Micro Wind Turbines	0.4	2.2	2.4

Source: Project Drawdown, Japan Tourism Agency, Worldometer, World Bank Data, ECTA, and our calculations

Note: Calculations based on Scenario 1 of Project Drawdown

 

Note: CO2 emissions reductions per capita are calculated based on Scenario 1 of Project Drawdown and the world population. “Reduced 20kg luggage” is the CO2 emissions reduction effect of stopping loading 20kg of luggage on airplanes when traveling to Japan (one-way average from 19 countries).

 

Comparing this reduction of 137 kg to 86 different CO2 reduction projects proposed by “Project Drawdown,” it is the 9th per capita worldwide, the 44th per capita in the OECD, and the 46th per capita in high-income countries. This is a pretty good ranking among the “100 Ways to Reverse Global Warming” selected by the world’s scientists. The effect of reducing the amount of luggage carried on board airplanes is extremely significant.

Moreover, the “Project Drawdown” includes the projects of CO2 reduction by 2050, even by using incomplete technology. We can do right now to reduce the amount of luggage carried on board airplanes. Furthermore, reducing the amount of baggage carried on board eliminates the need to prepare, transport, wash and put away clothing. It also makes travel easier for the elderly, the disabled, and families with children to bridge the travel divide. Let’s start immediately to reduce the amount of luggage carried on board airplanes, which is a good thing.