As the global push for climate action intensifies, a group of 40 German companies, including those listed on the DAX, are expected to spend hundreds of millions of euros in the coming years to improve their carbon balances. According to Berlin-based trading platform Goodcarbon, the companies will likely purchase certificates for nearly 33 million tons of CO2 between 2025 and 2030, as analyzed from their sustainability reports.
Goodcarbon, which also offers such certificates, estimates that the purchases could total around 500 million euros by 2030. However, the credibility of these certificates is limited, as they only account for a small fraction of the actual emissions. In 2024, the DAX companies collectively emitted 173 million tons of CO2, a figure more than 15 times the amount of emissions they plan to compensate for.
Furthermore, the quality of the certificates varies, with some companies opting for more expensive “removal” certificates to fund projects that remove CO2 from the atmosphere, such as reforestation. Others invest in cheaper certificates that support the preservation of existing forests or the development of renewable energy in developing and emerging countries.