FAQ

• Do you offset your own emissions?
  CLIMACT's carbon footprint is estimated at 20 tons of CO₂ in 2007. It includes travel for the three founders and the energy required to heat and light the offices. CLIMACT is committed to reducing its emissions by 20 % as regards travel. CLIMACT offsets the balance of these emissions.

About climate change

• Is the climate really changing?
In its assessment report on the scientific literature concerning the climate, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which includes more than 2,500 experts, clearly confirms that global warming is an established fact.
• Hasn’t the climate always evolved in the past? Why worry now?
  The climate has always varied over time. During the last 500,000 years, the earth has gone through four ice ages lasting approximately 100,000 years, interspersed with warmer periods of an average duration of 15,000 years. On the other hand, the current rhythm of climate change has never been observed before. The speed of this evolution is worrying because it doesn’t leave enough time for species to adapt.
• Can this change be attributed to human activities?
  Scientists agree on the fact that global warming can be attributed to an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This increase coincides with the massive combustion of fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas), which in fact enabled industrial development and led to our current civilisation. Compared with the pre-industrial period (1750), the concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere has increased by more than 35 %. No one any longer seriously contests the role of humanity in climate change.
• Isn’t it too late anyhow to curb climate change?
  No. We can still take action to limit the extent of this warming within acceptable limits.. Nevertheless, we have to make considerable efforts and everyone, including individuals and organisations, has a role to play to maintain the effects of global warming in proportions that won’t endanger future generations.
• What is the impact of personal action on reducing CO₂ emissions in relation to global emissions?

  The fight against global warming is a major issue for all of us. Everyone, in their own way, has an influence on the concentration of greenhouse gases through their behaviour. Everyone, whether a private individual, company or group, has a role to play to reduce their emissions. It is the sum of every individual’s behaviour that will have an influence on the extent of climate change. If the sum of our behaviour has contributed to global warming, then it is also the sum of our individual efforts that will help to limit its extent.

  Total greenhouse gas emissions in Belgium in 2005 (most recent available data) was equal to 143.8 millions tons of CO₂.

• Is it not up to companies to make efforts to reduce emissions?
  Companies, just like private individuals, have a role to play in the fight against climate change. Companies already participate in the effort to reduce emissions. In 2005, energy consumption in industry represented 19.4 % of emissions in Belgium, i.e. a 16.0 % reduction compared with emissions in 1990, owing to the improvement in energy efficiency, and also following certain structural modifications in industry.
  In the same year, two sectors in which private individuals are present, i.e. heating for buildings and transport, represented 21.8 % of emissions respectively, that is to say, an increase of 11.6 % compared with 1990, and 18.4 % of emissions, i.e. an increase of 29.5 % compared with 1990. Private individuals clearly have a role to play in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
• Is it not up to the State, the European Union or the international community to find solutions to global warming?
  Everyone has to make a contribution. The international community set up the Kyoto Protocol that aims to reduce emissions by 5.2 % by 2010 compared with emissions in 1990. In the same period, the European Union will reduce its emissions by 8 % compared with 1990. What’s more, it is unconditionally committed to reducing its emissions by 20 % by 2020. These efforts are necessary but they are not sufficient. The extent of the task is such that it is the combined efforts of private individuals and organisations that will help to effectively counter global warming.

About CLIMACT

• Why another structure?
  The market for the voluntary reduction and offset of greenhouse gas emissions is emerging. Major efforts to raise awareness must be conducted to convince private individuals and organisations to integrate the climate issue into everyday behaviour. CLIMACT wants to contribute significantly and professionally towards the fight against global warming. CLIMACT considers its action as complementary to all effective initiatives to fight against climate change.
• Is CLIMACT a trading company?
  Yes. Other structures were assessed but, in the end, it was decided to opt for a trading company to allow CLIMACT to exercise its mission in the best way possible: to maximise the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. As such, this structure facilitates access to the necessary means of finance in order to set up communication to the general public. It is also a guarantee of success among organisations and companies: it is culturally easier for a company to work with another company than with an association.
  The profits CLIMACT makes will allow it to convince a larger number of private individuals and organisations. Furthermore, part of these profits directly serves to support projects to reduce emissions.
• Is CLIMACT a private or a public body?
  CLIMACT is a private company whose main shareholder is the “Fonds d’Economie Sociale et Durable” (FESD – Kringloopfonds). The FESD is a federal fund. It invests in companies that – over and above their figures – serve the community, have a transparent and open relationship with their customers, suppliers and all other partners who are concerned, one way or another, with their activities. The FESD invests in companies that focus on protecting the environment and on sustainable development.
• Does CLIMACT make any profits?
  CLIMACT’s intention is to make a profit. The CO₂ reduction certificates are sold with a margin, which allows costs to be covered and to communicate on the need to take action. CLIMACT also wishes to invest its profits in support for local projects that contribute to the fight against global warming. CLIMACT is firmly focused on the future and supports initiatives that help to protect the environment for future generations.

About the calculation of the footprint

• Is the CLIMACT calculator accurate?
  The calculator functions on the basis of carefully elaborated hypotheses and standard conversion factors. The assessment of the emissions and reductions provided by the calculator is as accurate as possible taking into account the data entered by the user and the simplifying hypotheses retained. The CLIMACT calculator is regularly updated and a third party audits its reliability.
• What does the calculation of my footprint relate to?
  The footprint is calculated for the emissions during the current calendar year (on the basis of the data accessible to the user). This calculation takes into account the reductions the user has committed to making during the current year.
• Why doesn’t the calculator suggest wood (and its derivatives) as fuel for heating?
  The calculator doesn't suggest that users choose wood for heating purposes on the basis of the hypothesis that this wood comes from forests managed in a sustainable way whose impact on the climate is neutral in the mid term.

About reduction

• How can I further reduce my emissions if I am already following the reduction advice you give?
  The complete reduction of greenhouse gas emissions would involve a drastic change in behaviour: no longer heating your home, no longer travelling by car, not using fossil fuels. CLIMACT’s reduction advice is easy to implement even if it involves modifications to your behaviour. CLIMACT suggests offsetting carbon emissions to complement reduction efforts and to aim towards carbon neutrality. CLIMACT encourages you to share your complementary reduction advice.
• Is it not difficult to subtract the reduction efforts I am committed to for the future from my footprint?
  The CLIMACT calculator integrates the data for the current year. Including the reductions on a pro-rata basis for the year to which these reductions relate, involves a complex process. CLIMACT wishes to encourage users’ reduction efforts by integrating reductions on an annual basis.
• Why do the suggested reductions have such a limited impact on my footprint?
  The impact of the reduction on the calculation of the footprint may seem limited depending on the reduction chosen. This effort must be transferred to the individual AND collective approach that CLIMACT supports and helps to implement. If every one of us achieves a reduction, however minimal, the combined effort will be significant.

About offsetting

• Isn’t offsetting just a way of clearing your conscience?
  Reducing and offsetting CO₂ emissions is a voluntary and responsible approach that proves the desire to act in order to fight global warming. Offsetting is the ultimate stage in reduction since it consists of eliminating emissions elsewhere that cannot be reduced here. Therefore, this approach allows us to go one step further in terms of reducing emissions, and this couldn’t be achieved if there were no exchange systems.
• Does offsetting mean paying someone else to do the work for us?
  Offsetting allows us to reduce and neutralise CO₂ emissions that cannot be reduced in any other way. Offsetting means assuming your responsibilities and ensuring that the balance of emissions that are incompressible locally, are actually eliminated by financially contributing to sustainable development in regions where reduction projects are performed.
• Doesn’t offsetting send our conscience to sleep?
  Offsetting is the ultimate step in becoming aware of our responsibility as regards the climate. It is achieved by calculating emissions, reducing the emissions that can be reduced, and finally, offsetting the emissions that are provisionally incompressible.
  CLIMACT wants consumers, companies and organisations to become aware of and integrate the issue of climate into their everyday behaviour. CLIMACT is conscious that, despite its efforts, significant residual emissions will remain and offers the solution of offsetting to neutralise all or part of these residual emissions.
• In the end, isn’t offsetting buying the right to pollute?
  CLIMACT offers its services to private individuals, companies and organisations that are not compelled to limit their emissions. These people and organisations therefore have the right to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. By reducing and offsetting their emissions, they relinquish their “right to pollute” in order to act in a socially aware and responsible manner. Offsetting offers the possibility of exceeding reductions due to changes in behaviour: it means that emissions that we cannot reduce here can be neutralised elsewhere.
• Isn’t selling an offsetting service equivalent to selling hot air?
  The offsetting CLIMACT proposes is based on reduction projects that generate effective certified emission reductions (CER) within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol. The CERs that these projects generate are issued by the Executive Committee of the Clean Development Mechanism, a specialised body set up in accordance with the Kyoto Protocol. Offsetting mobilises the financial resources that facilitate and reinforce the existence of projects to reduce CO₂ emissions, without which they wouldn’t happen, in accordance with the additionality principle of the projects.
• Doesn’t offsetting prevent the emergence of real solutions?
  Global warming is a current problem that requires individual and group efforts to be made now. CLIMACT encourages advances in technology that allow us to fight against global warming. However, we have to act even before the emergence of these new technologies.
  The climate challenge is so significant that it can only be dealt with by a series of complementary solutions. CLIMACT is convinced that offsetting is part of these solutions in that it allows effective reductions to be implemented. Furthermore, CLIMACT supports reduction projects that implement clean technologies.

About the projects

• Why are offsetting projects located in developing countries? Isn’t it possible to have local projects?
  CLIMACT has chosen to propose projects that generate Certified Emission Reductions (CERs). These projects are certified by the Executive Committee of the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol providing they respect the strict criteria in terms of reductions in emissions and sustainable development. All the projects that generate CERs are located in developing countries.
  Furthermore, CLIMACT intends to support local projects to reduce emissions when it makes a profit, in accordance with its statutes.
• Why are the projects you propose all located in India?
  CLIMACT has initially chosen to support emission reduction projects in places where these emissions are growing rapidly. India is one of the two countries where the increase in CO₂ emissions is the highest in the world (80 % between 1990 and 2003). CLIMACT has therefore chosen to support projects located in India that generate effective reductions and participate in sustainable development. CLIMACT wishes to diversify the projects it supports and that present guarantees of quality.
• Why did you choose these particular projects?
  Please look at the project descriptions available here {link to the project description section} Why did you choose projects certified within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol?
  The reduction projects that generate CERs within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol are acknowledged universally. The reduction projects that are not validated within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol are sometimes validated by private authorities that verify that the reductions have actually taken place. However, up until now, there is no universally accepted standard or unique methodology; instead there is a multiplicity of competing standards. CLIMACT is convinced that there will be a convergence between these standards in the next few years, thus allowing it to envisage supporting projects other than those that have been validated within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol.