Carbon Offsetting

With carbon offsetting, also known as “climate compensation”, CO2 emissions reaching the atmosphere at a specific location A are saved or compensated by supporting a climate protection project at a specific location B.

The process of carbon offsetting is a procedure whereby CO2 emissions taking place in one location are simply avoided or reduced by supporting a climate protection project somewhere else. Unlike in the scenario of a local pollution, it does not really matter where CO2 emissions reach the atmosphere and where they are reduced regarding the global climate. The priority is that overall global CO2 emissions will not rise any further, because it is imperative for the goal of climate protection that they must decrease.

Individuals and companies compensate for their individual and corporate carbon footprint (“ecological footprint”) by investing in climate protection projects that reduces CO2. Several distinctions are made here between the following project types:

Renewable Energies:

These are renewable energy projects: such as hydropower, energy generated by windmills, solar energy, and diverse biomass projects. These projects accelerate the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, and thereby reduce global CO2 emissions.

Energy Efficiency:

Energy efficiency projects start by calculating the rate of consumption and by replacing existing technologies with more energy-efficient technologies. As an example, more efficient firewood burning machines play an important role, resulting in energy savings of up to 80%, and in significantly lowering firewood consumption.

Afforestation and Protecting Our Forests:

Here, the natural properties of plants are imperative in order to absorb carbon dioxide (CO2). Afforestation and forest conservation projects reduce greenhouse gas concentrations in our atmosphere. This is achieved by planting additional trees and thereby protecting areas from deforestation. CO2 is extracted from the atmosphere and stored in biomass, in this example.

Industrial Gases:

Industrial gases (HFC-23, SF6, N20) are being produced by industrial productions, and, like methane for example, are extremely harmful to our atmosphere. Projects which produce such gases are often criticized and are extremely controversial, because unlike energy efficient projects, they do not accomplish a permanent reduction of greenhouse gases.

Methane:

Methane has a CO2 equivalence of 21. This means, for example, that 1 ton of methane equals to 21 tons of CO2. The consequences are extremely damaging and harmful to our environment. Methane is produced by agriculture, in landfills, in mining, in sewage, and in the treatment of sewage sludge, as well. Methane projects are split into two categories:

1. Projects which convert methane into a harmless gas

2. Projects which capture methane and convert it into heat or electricity

Now calculate your corporate carbon footprint and compensate for it by carbon offsetting (Hyperlink)

carbon-connect AG: Criteria regarding the quality for our climate protection projects:

carbon-connect AG supports existing and climate protection projects verified by third parties that reduce emissions, and are quantified correctly and accordingly.

The way we decommission is highly credible

The decommissioning process is checked and audited by independent third parties.

Additionality:

Climate protection projects must be financed by the profits from the sale of CO2 reduction certificates. Without them, the project would not be financially viable (this is called “additionality”).

Further information about our  climate protection projects can be found here.