before you set off, offset

At Barclays we are taking action aimed at reducing the threat of climate change. Join us by offsetting the carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from your flight. How? By making a payment to ClimateCare. ClimateCare will invest your money in projects that work to reduce CO₂ emissions in the developing world.

When you fly, the plane generates carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. These harmful emissions can be balanced out by preventing the release of the same amount of greenhouse gases somewhere else. For example, ClimateCare has provided energy efficient lighting for people's homes in disadvantaged communities in Africa. This reduces the CO₂ produced by those communities, but also reduces their electricity bills. See other projects that Climate Care is funding on the left.

Climate change is a complex problem. Governments, businesses, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and individuals need to tackle it together. Offsetting is only a part of the solution to climate change, but it is one way that we can all do our bit for the environment. See FAQs for more information on Climate Care and offsetting.

What is Climate Change?
The blanket of gases that keeps the earth warm and able to sustain life is getting thicker, trapping in more heat. This is caused by the release of greenhouse gases (like carbon dioxide) as we burn fossil fuels. The vast majority of scientists now agree that to avoid radical changes in temperature in the future, action is urgently needed now.

Why is it important to Barclays?
All companies have an impact on the environment and we're taking action aimed at reducing ours. The direct environmental impact of financial services is relatively small compared, say, to mining or oil and gas, but we are doing what we can to try to reduce this impact still further.

Over the next two years we are aiming to reduce the CO₂ emissions from our UK operations to zero. There are four main ways that we are doing this:

• Reducing our energy consumption.
• Increasing our use of energy produced from renewable sources such as wind or hydro power.
• Working towards offsetting all the CO₂ produced from our UK operations.
• Taking the environment into account when developing our products and services.

Find out more about our action on climate change at barclays.com/corporateresponsibility