Many thanks to all participants who supported NABU’s renaturalisation projects last year through their environmental contributions.
It is undisputed that human activities play a significant role in greenhouse gas emissions, and society must work to reduce its carbon footprint. This responsibility also applies to events such as congresses, including the DOG Congress.
One effective approach to reducing CO2 emissions is to avoid unnecessary or excessive resource consumption. DOG has already taken important steps in this direction through its DOG Pura programme, which aims to minimise resource use and reduce emissions of climate-damaging substances. While initial progress has been made, further measures are necessary.
However, even with the most efficient measures, it is not realistic to organise a congress of over 5,000 participants—such as the DOG Congress—on a fully emissions-neutral basis, as all human activities inevitably generate emissions.
Environmental contribution approach
The concept of an environmental contribution addresses the unavoidable environmental impacts of human activities. It involves an additional voluntary payment designed to compensate for CO2 emissions – for example, those caused by air travel – by financing projects that help reduce or offset these emissions. This approach offers several advantages, including transparency, shared responsibility and direct support for effective environmental initiatives.
In 2026, DOG will offer participants the opportunity to make such a contribution for the third time. The calculation is based on the CO2 emissions determined by independent experts for DOG 2023, which amounted to 908 tons.
The currently recommended fair price for one ton of CO2 ranges between €25.00 and €100.00, with an average value of €62.50. Based on this, the total cost of offsetting these emissions would amount to €56,750.
With a total of 2,966 specialist participants, this corresponds to an indicative contribution of approximately €20.00 per person. Participants will have the option to make this voluntary additional contribution during the registration process. The concept of an environmental contribution addresses the unavoidable harmful consequences of human activities. This involves an additional charge to compensate for the CO2 emissions caused e.g. by flights, which is then used to finance projects that mitigate the corresponding emissions. This approach offers many advantages.
Investment in the Renaturation of Wetlands
While compensation measures can help counteract the harmful effects of climate change, their effectiveness depends largely on the selection of appropriate projects and interventions. These must be impactful, sustainable, and credible rather than simply serving as a form of “greenwashing.” In recent years, numerous agencies have emerged to facilitate such efforts by issuing certificates that quantify CO₂ savings. However, these agencies and their practices have increasingly come under critical scrutiny. A careful evaluation of the projects proposed in this context has also shown that many fail to meet expectations in terms of efficiency and long-term sustainability.
For these reasons, the DOG has decided to support selected projects with clearly defined objectives, implemented and/or supervised by established organisations based within the European Union.
Wetlands are among the most effective natural carbon sinks, capable of storing tens of thousands of tonnes of CO2 over their lifespan. The restoration and protection of these ecosystems therefore play a crucial role in mitigating climate change.
At the same time, wetland restoration requires patience. The process unfolds over many years, and the resulting CO2 savings are not immediately visible. Consequently, the short-term impact of such measures may be difficult to quantify, and precise calculation of the emissions avoided through individual projects remains challenging. However, these initiatives offer substantial long-term benefits. In addition to improving the carbon balance, they contribute significantly to the preservation of biodiversity by creating and protecting valuable habitats.
We kindly invite you to support the DOG’s commitment by making a voluntary environmental contribution as part of your congress participation.
Thank you very much.