German Environmental Aid (DUH) has sued Lufthansa. She accuses the company of misleading CO₂ neutrality promises. DUH Federal Managing Director Jürgen Resch spoke in Berlin of a “brazen consumer deception” and “greenwashing”. The compensation model offered by the airline only takes a fraction of the climate impacts of air traffic into account. In addition, unsuitable compensation projects are being used, said Resch.
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The reason for the lawsuit is an advertisement by Lufthansa, according to which passengers who produce CO₂ emissions on their flights could fully compensate for them by contributing to compensation projects, for example by investing in forest protection or more environmentally friendly cooking stoves in countries in the Global South. According to DUH, this wrongly gives the impression that the flights will no longer have any harmful effects on the climate.
“Air travel remains the most climate-damaging form of travel,” said Resch. However, Lufthansa claims that with little money the entire emissions of a flight can be offset. “That is simply wrong and will not change in the near future.”
Compensation amounts at Lufthansa are lower than at independent providers
Offers that promise to offset CO₂ emissions through flights or other trips or events are also available from independent providers such as atmosfair or myclimate. According to DUH, the compensation calculator used by myclimate is also used by Lufthansa, but in a modified form. While myclimate also includes climate impacts beyond CO₂ emissions in its online offering, the airline does not do this. Therefore, the compensation amounts to be paid at Lufthansa are much lower.
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Atmosfair also points out on its homepage that voluntary compensation could reduce the climate-damaging effect of air travel, but it is always better to avoid CO₂ emissions and other adverse climate effects from the outset.
Lufthansa writes in its advertising: “Lufthansa passengers can offset the CO₂ emissions of their flight directly on board.” This offer “underlines Lufthansa’s clear strategy to lead aviation into a more sustainable future.”
German Environmental Aid (DUH) has sued Lufthansa. She accuses the company of misleading CO₂ neutrality promises. DUH Federal Managing Director Jürgen Resch spoke in Berlin of a “brazen consumer deception” and “greenwashing”. The compensation model offered by the airline only takes a fraction of the climate impacts of air traffic into account. In addition, unsuitable compensation projects are being used, said Resch.
The reason for the lawsuit is an advertisement by Lufthansa, according to which passengers who produce CO₂ emissions on their flights could fully compensate for them by contributing to compensation projects, for example by investing in forest protection or more environmentally friendly cooking stoves in countries in the Global South. According to DUH, this wrongly gives the impression that the flights will no longer have any harmful effects on the climate.
“Air travel remains the most climate-damaging form of travel,” said Resch. However, Lufthansa claims that with little money the entire emissions of a flight can be offset. “That is simply wrong and will not change in the near future.”