FAQ & Transparency

Looking for answers?
logo
We are TeamClimate.
Transparency is of utmost importance to us. Got questions? We got your back.
tree
Projects.
Answers to your questions about our projects.
When selecting projects, we refer to the opinion of climate experts. Our project mix was put together alongside experts who recommend these countries and ways of offsetting in order to achieve the greatest possible impact.

In addition, we want to achieve eco-social progress through our projects besides “just” offsetting CO2. In our project countries Peru, Sierra Leone, Bangladesh and India this is exactly what we can achieve. Consequently, in addition to an effective CO2 reduction, we also create jobs, improve the health of locals and provide education for children.When selecting projects, we refer to the opinion of climate experts. Our project mix was put together alongside experts who recommend these countries and ways of offsetting in order to achieve the greatest possible impact.

A ton of CO2 offset in Europe has the same effect on the climate as, for example, an offset ton in Peru or India. This is due to the fact that CO2 does not know any boundaries and over time is distributed over the globe.

Regardless of this, 1€ contributed to CO2 offsetting can have much more impact abroad:

In countries like Peru, Sierra Leone, India and Bangladesh, besides the positive impact on our climate, the local population also benefits enormously from our projects. For example, our projects create jobs, thus enabling regular income and education. In our project country Bangladesh, for example, clean drinking water also improves the health of inhabitants, enabling children to go to school more regularly and parents to provide for their families.

In short, in addition to ecological added value, we also achieve eco-social progress in our project countries.

We may be relatively far away from our projects in purely geographical terms, but we are always close to the impact and implementation!

Yes, our projects are certified by independent third parties. Our projects in Peru are certified by the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and one has received two gold medals for its outstanding impact by the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance. The University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in Vienna certifies our project in Bangladesh, where the technology used is also recommended by the WHO. Our project in India is certified by the United Nations (UNFCCC). The well restoration project in Sierra Leone is certified by the GoldStandard.

But you don’t have to take our word, you can take a look at our certification reports yourself and download them for each project on the respective project page.

Your contribution is split roughly evenly between our projects foci (Water, Forest, Energy). Together they offset your emissions.

Unfortunately, there is currently no possibility to split your monthly contribution individually. The reason for this is that we can achieve the greatest possible ecological and eco-social impact through the diversity of our project mix.

offseting
Offsetting.
Answers to your questions about CO2 compensation.
Becoming climate neutral means bringing your carbon footprint to zero by reducing and offsetting your emissions. Sounds good. But why is it necessary?

To limit the temperature-rise to with a probability of 0,66 to 1.5 degrees and thus avert the climate crisis, each person must not emit more than an average of 0,7 tons of CO2 every year till 2100. (Röckström et al.) But here's the problem: even if you follow a vegan diet, never fly or drive a car, your CO2 footprint is around 3,2 tons per year. That's almost 5 times too much.

This is where carbon neutrality comes in. If you reduce your footprint and offset the remaining unavoidable emissions, your carbon footprint equals zero. Even the WWF and the EU know that this is the only way we have a chance to fight the climate crisis. Good thing TeamClimate has a solution.

Our calculator was developed by our life cycle analyst, a climate scientist MSc at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna as well as an MSc from the University of Kopenhagen and a BSc in Ecological and Environmental Science at the University of Edinburgh. The calculator is designed according to the internationally valid GHG protocol, which ensures valid results. If you would like to have a look at the whitepaper for the calculator, let us know at [email protected] and we will send it to you.

We at TeamClimate guarantee to compensate your exact emissions. You can be sure we do so because:

• Our ecological footprint calculator is based on the GHG protocol, ensuring accurate results.
• Your monthly contribution depends on the exact amount of CO2 you emit.
• We are legally liable to use your contribution to make you climate neutral.
• For every ton of CO2 we compensate, we acquire a carbon offset certificate issued by our projects.
• Our climate protection projects are certified by the United Nations, GoldStandard, the Verified Carbon Standard and the Vienna University of Natural Resources.
• Independent third parties regularly monitor our projects on site.
• We match the amount of carbon offsetting certificates issued by our projects to the certificates sold by us. This process is independently reviewed as part of our book keeping by an international accounting firm.

So frankly, you can be sure we compensate each and every ton of CO2 you emit. You have not only our word but also the documentation to proof it!

Absolutely, and there is no way around this. That is why we calculate, reduce and compensate not only the carbon footprint of individuals, but also of companies. We are incredibly proud that numerous companies are climate neutral with us in order to create an even greater impact. (Look up austrian beverage company MAKAvA as an example.) That is why we don't see it as "who does it first" type of question but rather as a collective effort where everyone needs to go climate neutral right now.

BTW: We only work with companies that are willing to reduce their carbon footprint. In the past we have turned down opportunities to work with with steak houses and cruise lines. This is the only way we can stay true to our philosophy (calculate - reduce - compensate).

• Peru: The Amazon rainforest acts like the lungs of the earth and is crucial for absorbing emissions. Our project in Peru protects over 580,000 hectares of rainforest and plants trees while respecting biodiversity. In this way, the existing forest can continue to absorb CO2 and, in addition, new trees save CO2.

• Bangladesh: Our project in Bangladesh provides 'WADI' devices for locals. A reduction of CO2 emissions is made possible due to solar water disinfection (SODIS). This natural process cleanses the water by killing germs such as viruses, bacteria and parasites by using the UV-A rays of sunlight. This allows rainwater and pond water to be disinfected and consumed without having to boil the water first. Before water could be disinfected by SODIS, forests had to be cut down in order to provide enough fuel for water disinfection. Now trees can continue absorbing CO2. Also, large fires to boil and disinfect the water would emit large amounts of CO2, which now can be prevented.

• India: Our project in India enables the replacement of coal-fired power plants with wind energy. Since the production of energy from coal is highly emission-intensive, CO2 emissions can be reduced by building wind turbines, which are significantly climate-friendlier. The wind energy generated is fed into the same grid as the electricity from the coal-fired power plants, which consequently prevents the construction of new environmentally harmful power plants.

• Sierra Leone: Our project in Sierra Leone restores wells and keeps them running smoothly. As a result, water no longer has to be boiled and CO2 emissions are saved. In this project, women and children in particular benefit.

coin
Subscriptions.
Answers to your questions about your monthly subscription.
You can recalculate your footprint in your profile if your lifestyle changes. Your monthly contribution will be adjusted accordingly.

Offsetting contributions are the purchase of emission reduction certificates stemming from our climate protection projects, these are no donations and can legally not be classified as such. Consequently, TeamClimate is not a charity. Your monthly contribution is essential to enabling our projects, reduce emissions, secure wildlife habitat and create jobs in the project regions as well as run our company and get the word out to more people to have an impact as large as possible.

Your monthly contributions cannot be classified as donations. The reason for this is that legally, offsetting contributions are the purchase of emission reduction certificates from our climate protection projects, consequently the monthly contribution is legally not classified as a donation, but rather as a purchase.

In case you choose a pre-assembled plan to offset your emissions, your monthly contribution depends on a person's average carbon footprint.

If you decide to calculate your personal carbon footprint, the amount of your monthly contribution is dependent on the answers you give while calculating. Consequently, the price adjusts to your exact emissions. A person with a relatively small carbon footprint might be able to compensate their emissions with a smaller contribution, whereas people who emit a lot of CO2 consequently would have to contribute more.

Your contributions are used to enable you a climate neutral life and compensate for the exact amount of CO2 you emit. No matter what we do – from monitoring our projects to building our website – all of this is centred around making you climate neutral.

Your contribution will be used to offset the exact amount of CO2 you emit.

To ensure that your money actually goes towards offsetting your carbon footprint, this process is audited and certified by an international accounting organization (Deloitte). In addition, we are legally obligated to offset the exact amount of CO2 you emit.

For reasons of integrity, we refrain from telling you rough, inaccurate figures which breakdown the allocation of your contribution to either our carbon offsetting projects or cost coverage. Let us explain.

If you happen to read specific percentages from other carbon offsetting providers, we can assure you these numbers cannot represent the whole truth. And here is why:

• Climate protection projects are bound to countless factors and change regularly.
Therefore, the allocation of resources must be re-evaluated constantly. For example, lately the rivers in Bangladesh are highly polluted so locals can only use their WADI device with water from rain ponds. This makes achieving the same impact in the project region more expensive for us, consequently shifting our allocation. Another example would be the amount of carbon sequestered by our protected rainforest in Peru, as due to shorter rain seasons the amount of biomass can decrease. The biomass absorbs CO2, so consequently when it decreases carbon offsetting certificates become more expensive.

• Drawing lines between categories is impossible.
How do you define the boundaries of categories such as project support and cost coverage? For example, does the wage of someone who monitors our projects fall under the category ‘project’ or ‘cost coverage’? We noticed these categories are grey rather than black and white.

• Fluctuating currency exchange rates.
Since we are legally bound to provide a stable price for your monthly contributions, we have to bear the costs of fluctuating currency exchange rates. As different projects and their stakeholders require different currencies to operate with, a certain change in the cost of supporting the projects is inherent.

Rather than providing inaccurate numbers we make a promise that we keep: every ton of CO2 you offset with us will be reduced by our projects. We stand by that, not only because we are legally liable to do so, but because this is at the core of our mission.

Should you have any questions, feel free to email us: [email protected].

Yes, we create a monthly invoice for you. You can view and download it in your profile under settings.

You can pause or cancel your subscription at any time in your profile under settings. We would be very grateful if you could send us a short message to [email protected] explaining why you would like to pause your subscription. We always try to take your request to heart. This is the only way we can improve!

You can pay your climate subscription by using PayPal, Direct debit (= instant bank transfer), Apple Pay, Google Pay or credit card.

You can change your payment method in your profile under settings.

treebirds
Start your climate
neutral life.
checkmark
Live climate neutral
checkmark
Reduce CO2 emissions
checkmark
Fund certified climate projects
Get started
cancel anytime
Something unclear?
Get in touch.
Sarah
[email protected]
Lindengasse 56, Wien
sarah
hills
logo
en
country
Secure
© 2024 ReGreen GmbH