What is Offsetting
Offsetting is a climate action that enables individuals and organizations to compensate for the emissions they cannot avoid, by supporting worthy projects that reduce emissions somewhere else.
The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduced through offsetting are measured in UN Certified Emission Reductions (CERs). The CERs are generated from Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects. These projects, which are located in developing countries, earn 1 CER for each metric tonne of GHG emissions they reduce or avoid and are measured in CO2 equivalent (CO2-eq). The CERs can then be bought by people and organizations to offset their own unavoidable emissions or as a contribution to the global climate action.
How to offset
This is how the process of offsetting your emissions to become climate neutral works on our platform:
1 Calculate Emissions
2 Choose a project
3 Add CERs to cart
4 Pay
5 Receive attestation
CMM carbon footprint calculator
Our calculator estimates household emissions based on the latest country specific data available to us. All data has been obtained from external and reliable sources (EDGAR, EPA, Climate Watch, ICAO and other organizations). This data is complemented by internal estimations made by our experts. We use different means to check the credibility of the data and to ensure highest possible degree of accuracy before we subject it to the algorithms we developed for this calculator.
The greenhouse gas emissions associated with different activities are recalculated in CO2 equivalent to produce a uniform result. To make it easier for you to complete the calculations, in certain instances we use default values. Make sure to adjust those according to your circumstances.
For the final calculation, in addition to the data you provide, we apply country-specific reference values for public services and for activities for which you do not know your footprint. Therefore, all three emissions categories: household, transport and lifestyle will be present with some proportion in your final result and the sum of their individual footprint may be different from the final result.
We will be updating the data behind the calculator as much as possible over time.About the payment
We are a global platform. UN does not collect the payments. You are paying the projects directly. This limits our payment modalities. We support three payment methods:
– PayPal account;
– Credit card payment option (through PayPal but without PayPal account);
– Bank transfer.
100% of your payment goes to the project you choose. Only payment transaction fees may apply. On your payment statement you will find the project provider as beneficiary.
The card payment option is also supported by PayPal but it does not require you to have a PayPal account and your data is not stored by PayPal. Please ensure to enter all your card details, including telephone numbers in the suggested formats. PayPal would reject card payments for any discrepancy without informing of the detected discrepancy. For an unsuccessful card payment, you may wish to check with the card issuer for any limitations applicable to online payments. We would also suggest to consider purchasing offsets from a project that accepts payments by bank transfer.UN certification of offsetting
After you choose a project we show you an attestation preview with your data.
We will send you the attestation of climate action as a PDF document by e-mail in a couple of days after you complete an order. In case you pay by bank transfer, we will send it after the payment is complete.
Why individuals and not just companies and governments?
When we blame companies for polluting we forget a simple fact with profound consequences – companies consist of individuals. When we recognize that change at all levels starts with us, the individuals, we can accept our personal responsibility to take action and drive change.
The social norm pressure point: when climate responsible behavior is so wide spread it becomes the norm and entities that do not comply with it suffer credibility damage.
We encourage you to measure, reduce and offset your emissions now and over time. But please do not stop with that. Engage your family, friends and peers and advocate with them to also take climate action. Every effort counts and everyone can be part of the solution.