Reducing the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, particularly the level of carbon dioxide (CO2), is seen as one of the greatest challenges of our times. By sparing the planet some 60 million metric tons of carbon dioxide every year, the nuclear power plants operated by the E.ON Kernkraft play an important part in meeting this challenge. Just for comparison: 60 million metric tons is roughly the total amount of CO2 emitted annually by all private German-registered passenger cars.

The earth's atmosphere contains a number of gases-including greenhouse gases-in just the right concentrations to ensure life-sustaining temperatures. In more recent times industrialization has upset this fragile balance. Industrialization has been a catalyst for a rapid global population increase, and as the world's population has increased, so too have the levels of greenhouse gas emissions.


Fossil fuels produce CO2 emissions

One of the most notable greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide, a by-product of fossil fuel combustion (that is, the burning of carbon contained in oil, coal, and natural gas). These energy sources account for by far the greatest percentage of the world's energy consumption.

The world's population currently burns materials containing some six billion metric tons of carbon every year. During the combustion process, the carbon combines with the oxygen in the air, producing 22 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide per annum. Consequently, carbon dioxide levels in the earth's atmosphere have increased by about one quarter over the last 30 years. And there is now growing evidence that this is changing the earth's climate. To stop, or possibly even reverse this trend, we must act now to reduce the man-made sources of greenhouse gases as much as we possibly can.