What does climate neutral mean?
Climate neutral refers to the state in which the activities of an individual, company or organization have no negative impact on the climate by completely avoiding, reducing and/or offsetting the CO₂ emissions caused. This concept is closely linked to terms such as "carbon neutral" and "climate neutral".
Why the use of "climate neutral" is critical
The use of environmental claims is particularly critical as they have the potential to influence purchasing behavior. Consumers who value sustainability could be misled into making the wrong choice by misleading claims.
Court rulings against climate-neutral companies
In recent years, organizations such as Deutsche Umwelthilfe or the Wettbewerbszentrale as well as competitors themselves have increasingly taken legal action against companies that use misleading or unfounded environmental claims. In some cases, the courts have prohibited the use of the term "climate neutral" if it was found that companies had not taken sufficient measures to reduce emissions, if the measures were not defined sufficiently and in a consumer-friendly way or if the compensation did not deliver the promised environmental benefits. Such court rulings underline the need for companies to carefully examine their climate neutrality claims and ensure that they are supported by concrete measures and independent verification.
EU Green Claims Directive restricts use of "climate neutral"
In addition, there is the EU Green Claims Directive, an initiative of the European Union that aims to increase the transparency and credibility of environmental claims. This directive calls on companies to make their environmental claims clear, transparent, scientifically sound and verifiable. The aim is to provide consumers with a sound basis for decision-making and to combat greenwashing.
Planted offers companies an anti-greenwashing guarantee
With Planted, your company becomes active holistically and without greenwashing: from the double materiality analysis, the calculation of the carbon footprint, the targeted reduction through to the CSRD report and the protection of biodiversity. Book a free consultation today and we will find the individual sustainability strategy for your company.