Frequently Asked Questions
1. What kind of projects does Climate Austria support?
With your contribution, Climate Austria supports climate protection projects in Austria as well as in developing and newly industrialised countries. Climate Austria makes sure that the funds you contribute are used exclusively for climate protection projects, which contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. For example, your contribution will support measures in the field of renewable energies – such as water, biomass, wind and solar energy – as well as in the field of energy efficiency. Examples for project descriptions please go to http://www.climateaustria.at/en/home/projects/.
2. Which standards apply to climate protection projects by Climate Austria?
All the supported projects are selected according to strict standards. The criteria applied both in evaluating and in monitoring Austrian climate protection projects correspond to the standard applied by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management for its national environmental support programme. For further details on this standard please go to http://www.public-consulting.at/en/portal/environmentalsupportschemes/.
Under the Kyoto Protocol, an official and internationally recognised standard, known as “Clean Development Mechanism” (CDM), has been created for selecting and monitoring international climate protection projects. For further information please go to the official webpage of the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change http://cdm.unfccc.int/index.html.
Furthermore, climate Austria gives priority to climate protection projects, which, in addition to reducing emissions, also have other positive ecological and socioeconomic secondary effects. For Climate Austria’s guidelines regarding Austrian and international climate protection projects please go to http://www.climateaustria.at/en/home/projects/project_standards/.
3. Why support climate protection projects in Austria?
In order to control global warming, it basically does not matter in which place of the world climate-effective emissions are reduced. However, per capita emissions of industrial countries highly exceed per capita emissions of developing and newly industrialised countries. Consequently, the climate change caused by human activities can only be successfully and sustainable controlled in case of a further reduction of emissions in industrial countries. Offers for voluntary climate protection measures, such as the CO2 compensation by Climate Austria, do not only demonstrably contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions. By causing an increased visibility of climate protection projects supported in Austria, they also create awareness among the general public. This climate awareness has an impact on corporate and everyday activities, while opening up possibilities for avoidance and reduction measures. Through your contribution, you ensure that more climate protection projects can be implemented in Austria. At the same time, you make a contribution to improving environmental conditions in Austria as well as creating added value. Climate Austria focuses on the right to solidarity and support of countries that are most affected by climate change on the one hand, and on the demand for further reduction measures in industrial countries on the other hand. Therefore, Climate Austria gives you the opportunity to choose whether you prefer making a voluntary contribution to a climate protection project in Austria or in developing and newly industrialised countries.
4. Why support climate protection projects in developing countries?
In spite of the fact that per capita emissions of developing countries are far lower than per capita emissions of industrial countries, the negative impact on climate change is often significantly higher in these regions. Climate protection projects in developing and newly industrialised countries contribute to the sustainable development of such countries. Moreover, they increase the quality of life of the local population, especially due to the creation of jobs and reduction of local environmental pollution. In addition, they can contribute to a transfer of environmentally friendly technology in accordance with a Western state-of-the-art. Climate Austria focuses on the right to solidarity and support of countries that are most affected by climate change on the one hand, and on the demand for further reduction measures in industrial countries on the other hand. Therefore, Climate Austria gives you the opportunity to choose whether you prefer making a voluntary contribution to a climate protection project in Austria or in developing and newly industrialised countries.
5. Does my support contribute to Austria’s efforts to reach its Kyoto target?
By earmarking your contribution for Austrian climate protection projects, you are making a contribution to the avoidance of emissions in Austria. Under the Kyoto Protocol, Austria is bound to reduce its emissions by 13 % with regard to the reference year 1990 until the end of 2012. A majority of these obligations shall be fulfilled by implementing measures in Austria, for instance by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management and its national environmental support programme. Part of the reduction obligations shall be fulfilled by Austrian industrial and energy firms under the European emission trading system.
By making a voluntary contribution, you supplement the already existent measures for reaching the Kyoto target, while all measures promised by Austria or any Austrian companies are preserved as well. Climate Austria makes sure that the funds you contribute are used exclusively for climate protection projects in sectors that are not subject to European emission trading. In other words, climate projects supported by your contribution are not directly allowable for reaching the Kyoto target. However, they are indirectly effective in the Austrian greenhouse balance. For instance measures for the reduction of fossil fuels, such as individual or corporate energy efficiency measures for reducing fuel oil, are included in the Austrian greenhouse balance through vending balances of mineral oil companies. Due to the criteria and standards applied for selecting and supporting Austrian projects, Climate Austria makes sure that there is no competition between state-aided support measures and voluntary CO2 compensation. In other words, it is ensured that national measures are actually supplemented and not replaced. Thereby, Climate Austria is the first one to set a high-quality standard for voluntary initiatives, also in countries with an obligatory reduction goal under the Kyoto Protocol.
6. Is my contribution a decisive factor for the implementation of climate protection projects?
Yes, your contribution is a crucial factor for the implementation of climate protection projects in Austria as well as on an international level. It is required that Austrian projects correspond to the strict standard applied by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management for its national environmental support programme. Thereby, it is ensured that contributions exclusively go to projects that could not be implemented without this additional financial support. All these projects are also considered “additional” in the sense that they are not required to be obligatorily implemented due to legal environmental regulations. Furthermore, Climate Austria makes sure that there are no projects receiving double support, i.e. state-aided support in addition to your personal contribution. Due to the portfolio-based approach Climate Austria has chosen, also projects with high avoidance costs per tonne of CO2 can be implemented. As for international climate protection projects, the additionality of such projects is ensured by the standards of the Kyoto Protocol for projects in developing and newly industrialised countries. In addition, they are checked by the bodies of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bonn. Climate Austria exclusively supports climate protection projects that have already passed this test.
7. How long do supported projects last?
Climate protection projects contribute to the avoidance of emissions over their entire operational life time. Consequently, the calculation of reduced CO2 emissions for Austrian climate protection projects corresponds to the criteria applied by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management for its national environmental support programme over the entire operational life time of supported projects. The high environmental standards required in the EU and all over Austria justify this comparably extended allowance period of CO2 reductions in contrast to international climate protection projects.
As for international climate protection projects under the Kyoto Protocol, the required allowance period for CO2 emissions reduced by a project is shorter. This is to ensure that supported measures do not become legally required over time anyway or are considered business as usual, also regarding climate protection projects in developing and newly industrialised countries. Thereby, it is prevented that such measures lose their additionality or voluntariness. Therefore, it is required that international climate protection projects under the Kyoto Protocol pass another validation by an external testing company after termination of the allowance period. This evaluator reconfirms that a project is still considered “additional”.
8. Is Climate Austria checked by an independent instance?
The use of your contributions by Kommunalkredit Public Consulting GmbH for Climate Austria is disclosed in annual reports. Its accuracy as well as a proper and efficient allocation of funds is checked by independent certified accountants. The compliance with guaranteed quality standards for Austrian and international climate protection projects is regularly checked by independent external evaluators. Therefore, you can be sure that as the handler of Climate Austria, Kommunalkredit Public Consulting GmbH actually implements indicated standards for the quality of climate protection projects as well as the proper and efficient allocation of funds.
As for Austrian projects, the CO2 reduction is determined by the experts of Kommunalkredit Public Consulting corresponding to the criteria applied by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management for its national environmental support programme. Kommunalkredit Public Consulting looks back on many years of experience in discretionary handling of public funds for the support of climate protection projects. Moreover, Kommunalkredit Public Consulting keeps a track record of proper implementation of project selection and evaluation criteria, which is audited by certified accountants and the Austrian Court of Audit and has excellent support efficiency. Nevertheless, the proper determination of the environmental effect corresponding to the abovementioned criteria of the national environmental support programme is also part of the regular external check. As opposed to international climate protection projects, the reduction of CO2 resulting from your contribution to Austrian climate protection projects is not documented in tradable certificates. Your contribution is paid to Austrian project operators only after successful project implementation. Due to obligatory final settlement, we have control over the actual project implementation.
As for international climate protection projects, CO2 reductions supported by your contribution are regularly verified and certified by external testing companies accredited by the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change. Your contribution is paid out to the international project operator only after certified emission reductions have been received by Kommunalkredit Public Consulting GmbH for Climate Austria.
Quality assurance in context with Climate Austria on a strategic level is ensured by a steering committee including representatives of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management.
