Climate Protection Contributions Terms and Conditions

The topic of sustainability plays an important role for Airbnb. Therefore, we enable guests to make an optional climate protection contribution (“Climate Protection Contribution”) as part of booking an accommodation on our platform. This way, you can make your stay more sustainable and address your personal carbon footprint. In order to calculate the effects of your accommodation use on CO2 emissions as accurately as possible and to donate the contribution that you make directly and completely to one of the supported sustainability projects, we cooperate with the sustainability experts of Squake.

If you choose to make a Climate Protection Contribution, the following Airbnb Climate Protection Contribution Terms and Conditions will apply to your booking in addition to the Terms of Service and the Payments Terms of Service. Capitalised terms used in these terms and conditions have the same meaning as given to them in the Terms of Service and the Payments Terms of Service.

1. How are the CO2 emissions Through my Accommodation Use calculated?

Our goal is to determine the CO2 emissions resulting from the use of your accommodation as accurately as possible. Therefore, we evaluate specific data of your booking that is relevant for the calculation of carbon emissions. In particular, this includes the following data sets:

• The duration of the stay
• The number of guests
• The geographical location, size and type of accommodation
• The amenities of the accommodation, for example sauna, swimming pool, air conditioning

Taking these data sets into account, the most precise possible value for the CO2 emissions resulting from the use of the accommodation is determined in real time. However, we would like to point out that the calculation is an estimated value and that it is not possible to calculate the exact CO2 emissions associated with your stay. We can only estimate the volume of emissions for several reasons, including not knowing the specific way an accommodation is used, nor the specific accommodation size, as well as other parameters such as the energy efficiency of the accommodation and energy sources for cooking, heating, and cooling. Furthermore, the calculation does not include emissions associated with guests’ travel to and from the accommodation, nor does it include emissions associated with local transportation during the guests’ stay.

2. How does the amount for the climate protection contribution come about?

Based on the CO2 emissions estimated by us for your stay and the respective sponsored project, a corresponding amount to address the CO2 emissions is also determined in real time. This amount can be used to take measures to address the CO2 emissions for your accommodation use within the framework of the respective sponsored project. The Climate Protection Contribution of your booking is shown separately before the booking process is completed.

3. Why aren’t you “offsetting” the emissions from my stay?

“Offsetting”, “neutralizing” or “compensating” emissions with carbon credits can create confusion about real climate impact. “Offsetting” is less useful for individuals who are not subscribing to formal accounting of their emissions that is also verified and validated by third parties in alignment with goals for science based targets for “net zero” status. That is very difficult for individuals to do and not necessary to support real, verifiable actions that reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions. Alternatively, “offsetting” is more appropriate for addressing specific carbon commitments or “accounts” associated with larger entities, like a company or municipality striving for “net zero” status.

4. Which projects are funded?

Your Climate Protection Contribution is used to support sustainability projects worldwide. We attach great importance to the selection of the projects we support and screen them for high quality attributes such as permanence, additionality, leakage, among others, as well as co-benefits of biodiversity and local economic development.

The projects currently supported by the Climate Protection Contribution can be found here.

We distribute the Climate Protection Contributions that you make via the Airbnb platform to one of the currently funded projects in no particular order. Unfortunately, it is not possible to select the funding of a specific project.

5. How does my Climate Contribution get to the funded project?

We guarantee that 100% of the Climate Protection Contributions made through the Airbnb platform will reach the funded projects. Your contribution is added to (and therefore included in) the Total Price for your booking request. The amount of the contribution will be sent to Squake without deductions, for use by the funded projects. Airbnb bears the costs for the calculation of CO2 emissions and coordination of CO2 projects and the purchase and retirement of the corresponding CO2 certificates by our partner Squake.

6. Who is my contractual partner and how is the contract concluded?

Your Climate Protection Contribution contractor is Airbnb Ireland UC, 8 Hanover Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland ("Airbnb"). You instruct Airbnb to select a project to receive the amount of the Climate Protection Contribution that you make. The contract is formed if you first select the optional Climate Protection Contribution as part of the booking process and then complete the booking. This contract text is linked within the booking process and can be retrieved and saved by you. You can cancel your selection of the Climate Protection Contribution at any time before the booking process is completed by pressing the optional selection field again. Once your booking has been completed, we will again send you all the information on the Climate Protection Contribution amount together with the booking confirmation. Unfortunately, it is not possible to issue a tax-relevant donation receipt for your Climate Protection Contribution.

7. Is my Climate Protection Contribution eligible for reimbursement?

No, after the booking has been completed, the amount of your climate protection contribution cannot be refunded. This applies even if you are (partially) refunded the price of the booked accommodation after timely cancellation.

8. Liability

Airbnb is liable under statutory provisions for intent and gross negligence by us, our legal representatives, directors, or other vicarious agents. The same applies to the assumption of guarantees or any other strict liability, or in case of a culpable injury to life, limb, or health. For any negligent breaches of essential contractual obligations by us, our legal representatives, directors, or other vicarious agents Airbnb’s liability is limited to the typically occurring foreseeable damages. Essential contractual obligations are such duties of Airbnb in whose proper fulfillment you regularly trust and must trust for the proper execution of the contract. Any additional liability of Airbnb is excluded. To the extent that Airbnb's liability is excluded or limited, this also applies with regards to the personal liability of its legal representatives, directors, employees, and other agents.

9. Applicable law and jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with Irish law. If you are acting as a consumer and if mandatory statutory consumer protection regulations in your country of residence contain provisions that are more beneficial for you, such provisions shall apply irrespective of the choice of Irish law. As a consumer, you may bring any judicial proceedings relating to these Terms before the competent court of your place of residence or the competent court of Airbnb's place of business in Ireland. If Airbnb wishes to enforce any of its rights against you as a consumer, we may do so only in the courts of the jurisdiction in which you are a resident. If you are acting as a business, you agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Irish courts.