Finnair commits to CO2 offsetting service for customers

Finnair is expanding its Push for change CO2 offsetting service for customers.

The company has signed Letters of Intent on including Compensate service as well as a rewilding project by Snowchange Cooperative into the options available for CO2 offsetting,said a Finnair press release.

The target is to bring these options into the Push for change service during this year.

“Last summer, we asked Finns how they view CO2 emissions, and carbon sinks were among the favourite alternatives for reducing the CO2 load,” said Arja Suominen, Senior Vice President for Communications and Corporate Responsibility at Finnair adding “Our customers have also asked for domestic projects to be included into the Push for change service alongside the existing project in Mozambique, and we are delighted to be able to offer even more offsetting alternatives.”

Compensate is a non-profit foundation that was established in 2018 and their purpose is to fight climate change by offering consumers the possibility to begin living a carbon negative life and offset their everyday purchases at the time of sale. Compensate directs 100 % of the payments to various projects that reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. "We must do much more than now to stop climate change, and this is why the opportunity to collaborate with Finnair is so important for us,” said Antero Vartia, founder of Compensate.

According to Vartia, the impact of this will be larger than the collaboration itself, as the power of example is so great. Snowchange Cooperative is a Finnish non-profit science and nature conservation organisation, with projects in Siberia, Greenland, Canada, Alaska and Finland. For the past 20 years, Snowchange has been a pioneer in combatting climate change through research, restoration and rewilding. Through Finnair’s Push for Change service, customers can support the cooperative’s Landscape Rewilding Programme, where Finnish marshmires, bogs and wetlands are restored. The wetlands and marshmires of the boreal forests are carbon sinks comparable to the rainforests of Amazon, and key for preserving northern biodiversity.

"Marshmires are key carbon sinks in the boreal zone and also in global context”, said Tero Mustonen from Snowchange Cooperative. ”By restoring marshmires and wetlands we can create new carbon sinks and restore and preserve habitats for species that are affected by climate change impacts, especially wader birds. Restored wetlands are also important for the local communities. Landscape Rewilding is the largest restoration project on private lands under way in Finland, and we are excited about Finnair’s contribution to this project.”

With Finnair’s Push for change service, including both CO2 offsetting and biofuel purchasing, air travelers can offset the CO2 emissions of their flight by supporting CO2 reduction projects, or decrease the CO2 emissions of their flights by purchasing biofuel. The service is available on the Finnair Shop at www.finnairshop.com and customers can also use their Finnair Plus frequent flyer points for the service. Customer payments are directed in full to CO2 reduction projects and biofuel purchases.