CO2 offsetting
Calculate your carbon footprint and offset it by supporting old-growth forest protection
Preserving natural carbon sinks
When we hear the word ‘offsetting’, our first thought is usually that CO2 emissions are being absorbed somewhere else. This is the case with some projects. In fact, however, many offsetting approaches are also based on transparently preventing further CO2 emissions.
We consider it more urgent and effective to preserve intact natural habitats before it is too late. This is because large quantities of CO2 are stored in living biomass in these areas. And they fulfil many other important functions for a healthy climate. Find out here why old-growth forests are our most important buffer against climate change.
Forests as CO2 sinks
The world’s forests and peatlands sequester as much CO2 as there is in the entire atmosphere. When such carbon-rich ecosystems are destroyed, they release more CO2 than could ever be sequestered again within a timeframe relevant to humankind.
Because deforestation affects the climate.
When a forest is cleared, the carbon stored within it is released through the use of the timber and the decomposition of the branches, leaves and roots. Every tree removed from the forest will, sooner or later, rot or be burnt – whether it ends up as paper that has been recycled seven times or as a piece of furniture passed down through the generations. Carbon stored in the forest’s biomass over thousands of years is thus released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide within a very short time. There, the CO2 acts as a greenhouse gas and accelerates global warming.
Calculate your carbon footprint
Whether you’re a private individual, an office or a medical practice – we currently offer three specialised, free CO2 calculators, and more are being added regularly. These allow you to calculate, analyse and reduce your CO2 emissions easily and free of charge.
You can then offset your carbon footprint directly by helping to protect precious rainforest!
10–15 per cent of all annual CO2 emissions are caused by deforestation and the drainage of forested peatlands. This means that the loss of forest cover has a much greater impact on the atmosphere than, for example, the global aviation sector, which accounts for 3.6 per cent of emissions.
Deforestation
Every year, 12.2 million hectares of tropical forest are cleared. A further 13 million hectares of boreal, subtropical and temperate forests are lost year on year. That amounts to 25.2 million hectares of forest destroyed annually — an area equivalent to the size of Great Britain.
How much does it cost to offset 1 tonne of CO2?
Offsetting 1 tonne of CO2 costs a donation of €16.70. This is because, on average, 60 kg of CO2 is sequestered per square metre in our protected areas. 1m2 You can help protect the rainforest forever with a donation of just one euro. This ensures that the CO2 stored in the forest’s biomass is not released, but remains stored permanently.
Because forests give us more than we realise.
Without the forest, our air would be too polluted to breathe. There would not be enough reliable rainfall. Our water sources would run dry, and we would suffer from drought and heat. Our soil would be leached and nutrient-poor. Instead of birdsong and the hum of bees, there would be silence.
From a global perspective, primary forests are our most important buffer against human-induced climate change. Protecting them is a top priority if we are to save the climate.
Time to say thank you.
To nature. For all the free gifts it bestows upon us every day, which we take for granted, and without which our lives would be impossible.
Together, we are giving something back to nature by preserving and protecting the last remaining intact, high-carbon and biodiverse ecosystems.
