Launched on 19 May 2010 by the government of Liechtenstein, the klimatecode.li portal aims to raise awareness on energy efficiency and climate change.

Designed for the citizens of Liechtenstein, the platform serves as a social network and as a useful tool for them to calculate online their own carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and eventually have a personal view on how the choices of their daily lives can impact on climate change. The platform also offers potential CO2 reduction measures which do not compromise citizens' quality of life.

The annual emissions per capita in Liechtenstein are around 8 tons of CO2, with the so-called 'greenhouse gas emissions' excluded from this amount. In this regard, it has been noticed that Liechtenstein emits eight times more CO2 compared to India and more than twice as much as China in average. Therefore, the reduction to 1-2 tonnes of CO2 per capita on a yearly basis is considered a high expectation; however, as Dr.  Renate Müssner, the Minister of Environmental Affairs, Land Use Planning, Agriculture and Forestry stated: "I am convinced that Liechtenstein can offer enormous potential for CO2 reduction in everyday life activities."

For instance, a ride on an 80-horsepower car from Schaan (municipality of central Liechtenstein) to Triesen (municipality of the northern part of the country) and back consumes about 3 600 g CO2. By bicycle the CO2 emissions drop to 0 g. Moreover, instead of spending 45 minutes running on a treadmill in the gym (power 1.5 kW) that emits about 600 g CO2, one could take a zero-emission walk alongside the river Rhine. Responsibility can also be assumed for choosing fresh and season fruits: for example, one kilo of strawberries flown to Liechtenstein from South Africa emits the amount of 11 671 g CO2 emissions, whereas for seasonal strawberries produced in Switzerland the emissions are about a hundred times less.

The examples presented above show that the road to a low-carbon society is not necessarily associated with compromises in daily life. However, a prudent behaviour in daily activities can considerably reduce energy consumption. The goal is to establish a low-carbon world economy on a global scale by joining all efforts. Large industries as well as individuals should contribute towards the achievement of this goal.

This is where the Klimacode.li portal comes to play a key role in raising awareness about energy efficiency and climate protection. The CO2 calculator helps individuals monitor their personal carbon footprint and serves as a powerful tool to understand the impact of personal behaviour on global warming. Furthermore, the existing knowledge about the climate change as well as measures about how to reduce CO2 emissions are made easily accessible on the portal.

Contributions from as well as advice of each individual are highly encouraged and in this regard, Minister Müssner commented as follows: "I would be glad if [people] committed to the platform and motivated others with [their] knowledge to adopt a climate-friendly behaviour, thus contributing towards climate protection."

Further information:

• Official press release - National Administration Portal (in German)
• klimatecode.li (in German)