Frequently Asked Questions
1. How does CO2 compensation work?
The use of fossil fuels for electricity, heating and mobility purposes generates CO2. CO2 emissions cannot be totally prevented, but unavoidable emissions can be offset by reducing emissions elsewhere. With your support for climate protection projects, you can offset the CO2 emissions you cause by making it possible to avoid CO2 emissions to the same extent. This process is known as CO2 compensation.
2. How does the CO2 calculator work?
The CO2 Calculator calculates the amount of CO2 emissions generated by your activities based on CO2 emission factors for different energy sources. The CO2 emission factors are surveyed by the Austrian federal authority for environmental protection and environmental control (Umweltbundesamt) and Kommunalkredit Public Consulting on a regular basis.
3. How is the amount for CO2 compensation calculated?
For the purpose of CO2 compensation for Climate Austria, Kommunalkredit Public Consulting compiles its own portfolio of respective qualified Austrian and international climate protection projects.
Funding is only provided for CO2 emission reduction projects which will generate CO2 emission reductions in the future. The intention of funding is to promote project developers to implement a more climate friendly technology than usually implemented.
The portfolio-based approach ensures that a regionally as well as technologically well-balanced mix of climate protection measures can be supported. Different technologies and different levels of technological development in the respective host countries of climate protection projects result in different avoidance costs per tonne of CO2. For purposes of CO2 compensation by Climate Austria, Kommunalkredit Public Consulting ensures a standard average price per tonne of CO2 for all host countries and technologies using a portfolio-based approach. This price results from the avoidance costs of all supported climate protection projects, while taking current prices on the international CO2 market into consideration. The CO2 calculator multiplies this average price with the calculated CO2 emissions generated by your activity and shows the necessary amount for compensating the CO2 emissions caused by your activity.
4. Am I free to choose the amount I would like to contribute?
Yes, you are. The amount calculated by means of the CO2 calculator is only a suggestion to facilitate your estimation of the CO2 emission generated by your activity. You are free to choose any other amount and contribute it to Austrian or international climate protection projects.
5. Does Climate Austria charge value added taxes to my contribution?
No, it does not. For the purpose of climate protection, the fiscal arrangements of Climate Austria ensure that a maximum of your contribution is made available for climate protection projects. Your contribution to CO2 compensation as offered by Climate Austria counts as voluntary support. Consequently, Climate Austria's services are not subject to the Austrian Value Added Tax Act.
6. Is there a minimum amount for participating in the CO2 compensation?
In order to cover administrative costs and expenses accrued by payment handling, a minimum amount of EUR 5.- per transaction via "calculator for flights", "for private activities" and "company´s activities" is charged.
7. Is there a difference between flying CO2 neutrally and climate neutrally?
Climate Austria gives you the opportunity to offset the CO2 emissions generated by your flight by making it possible to demonstrably avoid the same amount of CO2 emissions with your contribution to climate protection projects. The amount of CO2 generated by your flight is calculated by means of the CO2 calculator based on current per capita kerosene consumption values of Austrian Airlines. Average consumption is calculated for the past three months on the basis of the entire Austrian Airlines fleet and all connections served by Austrian Airlines. These numbers are updated on a regular basis. This is to ensure that the calculated CO2 values correspond to the actual emission values of your flight as closely as possible. Thus, you fly CO2 neutrally with Climate Austria.
Negative climatic effects of a flight do not only result from CO2, but also from other emissions, for instance nitrogen oxide (NOx), which leads to the creation of the greenhouse effective gas ozone. Emitted water vapour and creation of contrail both have a warming effect on our climate as well, just like the absorption of solar radiation resulting from sooty particles. Taking all climatic effects of a flight into consideration by multiplying the CO2 emission in tonnes with an adequate weighting coefficient, and reducing the corresponding increased amount of CO2 elsewhere is defined as climate neutral flying. The RFI (Radiation Forcing Index) is one of the factors used for flights, which is evaluated by IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) with a value of 2.7.
8. What is the difference between acting "CO2 neutral" and "climate neutral"?
On the Website of Climate Austria the word "CO2 neutral" is used for direct CO2 emissions arising through the use of fuel consumption for flights, electricity, heating and transport purposes. The word "climate neutral" includes besides CO2 all other gases with a Gobal warming potential, which were calculated as CO2 equivalents.
8. My journey or trip has been cancelled. / I did not use my ticket. Is the amount in question reimbursed to me?
In this case, it is not possible to reimburse the amount you have contributed. As prearranged, your contribution will be dedicated to climate protection. You may want to regard the amount you have paid as a compensation for the same amount of CO2 emissions caused by your next journey or trip.
9. Who to contact in case of questions about Climate Austria?
For content-related questions please contact:
Kommunalkredit Public Consulting GmbH
Türkenstraße 9, 1092 Vienna, AUSTRIA
Mag. Andrea Stockinger
Project management
E-mail address: a.stockinger@kommunalkredit.at
10. Who to contact in case of payment problems?
For questions regarding transaction and payment please contact:
In the case of payment problems or unintentional donations, please write a short email to:
ClimateAustria@kommunalkredit.at
All unintentional payments will be refundet by Climate Austria.
11. Who to contact in case of questions about Austrian Airlines flights?
For questions regarding Austrian Airlines flights and bookings, please contact:
Austrian Airlines AG
Tel. no.: +43 (0)5 1766 1001
(Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
