 ClimateCare is a service that reduces greenhouse gases on behalf of individuals and organisations, to compensate for their impact on the climate. It does this by ‘offsetting’ the greenhouse gases – such as CO2 - emitted from your activities by reducing an equivalent amount of CO2 on your behalf.
These reductions are made through a range of projects in sustainable energy technologies that not only fight climate change but can bring widespread benefits to communities around the world. You can offset emissions from flying, driving and household energy use. To find out more visit www.climatecare.org.
Real Traveller is working with Climate Care to encourage our customers to offset the CO 2 emissions from their flight. As you may be aware air travel releases gases that contribute to global warming, such as carbon dioxide.
Environmental organisation, Climate Care, is a service that helps you repair the damage that flying does to the climate. It does this by ‘offsetting' the greenhouse gas emissions, such as CO 2, from your activities by reducing an equivalent amount of CO 2 on your behalf.
These reductions are made through a range of projects in:
- Energy efficiency – these reduce the amount of fuel needed
- Renewable energy – these replace non-renewable fuel such as coal
- Forest restoration – these absorb CO 2 from the atmosphere as the trees grow
To calculate the carbon emissions from your flight and find out how much it will cost to offset this click here. If you then choose to offset you can click through to Climate Care's site and do the transaction online.
Climate Care funds a variety of projects including:
 Clean stoves in Uganda
The Uganda Stoves Project supplies efficient wood burning stoves to institutions such as schools in Uganda . As well as reducing greenhouse gases produced from cooking, the stoves reduce the amount of wood fuel needed, helping to reduce deforestation. Cooks also experience the benefits of reduced indoor pollution since the stoves are less smoky.
Sarah Nakabuyo Naloongo is a cook at Kibuye Primary School in Kampala – where the new improved wood stoves were installed in Autumn 2007. She told us how the new stoves had improved her life because the kitchen is now smoke free and the food is easier to cook.
“Beforehand, we cooked the food on an open fire using stone stands and the room would be black with smoke. The new stoves have improved my life because I no longer have to work in a dirty environment. The new stoves are taller too which means that I don’t have to crouch down and damage my back.”
Image credit: Sue O’Connor |
 Wind Power in China
China is developing rapidly with increasing demand for power, most of which is generated from coal. The Mulan wind project is located in Heilongjiang - the northern-most province of China . The wind farm generates approximately 25 GWh of electricity each year, reducing emissions by reducing the amount of electricity that would have been generated by conventional fossil fuels such as coal or gas. Alongside reducing the need for fossil fuels, the wind farm provides local employment and has contributed to the stimulation of the wind power sector in China .
Image credit: Kylie Bisman |
When I fly, am I contributing to climate change?
Yes. Aircraft operations generate greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO 2), and other effects in the atmosphere linked to water vapour, ozone generation, methane reduction and cirrus cloud formation.
What's the overall effect of air travel on the climate?
The overall effect of air travel on the climate is greater than the CO 2 that comes from burning aviation fuel because the emissions are released high in the atmosphere. The calculations used by Climate Care take account of this – for more information see the report on calculating emissions from air travel on Climate Care's website.
Am I offsetting emissions from the whole plane?
No. You are paying for your seat. Emissions per person are estimated by dividing the total fuel used on a journey by the number of seats on a plane.
I pay departure tax, so why should I pay Climate Care?
Air Passenger Duty is a passenger tax levied by the Government on all departures from the UK and generates almost £1 billion annually. However, the money isn't spent directly on mitigating the greenhouse gas emissions from your flight, whereas your payment to Climate Care is.
What is offsetting?
When you buy a carbon offset, your money is used to reduce carbon dioxide emissions on your behalf. The emissions are reduced through projects that prevent the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, or absorb it through reforestation. The reduction made is the same amount as your flight releases.
How do Climate Care's projects ‘offset' the CO 2 emitted?
Climate Care's projects avoid, reduce or absorb greenhouse gases through:
- Renewable energy – energy creating no extra CO 2 emissions
- Energy efficiency – using less energy to reduce CO 2 emissions
- Forest restoration – absorbing and storing CO 2
What is sustainable energy?
Most of Climate Care's projects (80%) are in sustainable energy. These are projects that reduce or avoid emissions being released into the atmosphere. The types of projects include renewable energy and energy efficient technologies. Nevertheless, approximately 20% of emissions each year are from deforestation and forest fires, so Climate Care also makes 20% of their CO 2 offsets in forest restoration.
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