The terms on which CarbonZero Sagl provides its platform to Climate Patrons, Supporters, Project Teams and Sponsors.
1. Scope and acceptance
1.1 These Terms and Conditions (the "Terms") govern the use of the website carbonzero.com and all services offered through it (the "Platform"). The Platform is operated by CarbonZero Sagl, Via Fornasette 50, 6998 Tresa, Switzerland, registered in the Swiss commercial register under UID CHE‑111.470.534 ("CarbonZero", "we", "us").
1.2 By making a payment, applying to host a project, creating an account or otherwise using the Platform, you accept these Terms in the version published at that time. If you do not accept them, you may not use the Platform.
1.3 You must have full legal capacity to accept these Terms. A person under 18 years of age may use the Platform only with the consent of a legal guardian. A person acting for an organisation confirms that they are authorised to bind it.
1.4 Our Privacy Policy, the terms of the Payment Provider used for a payment, and any written agreement with a Sponsor also apply. Where a written agreement signed by CarbonZero conflicts with these Terms, the written agreement prevails.
2. Definitions
In these Terms:
3. CarbonZero's role
3.1 CarbonZero provides a platform on which Project Teams present Climate Projects and Supporters may fund them. CarbonZero acts solely as an intermediary. It is not a party to any agreement between a Supporter and a Project Team, and it does not carry out, manage or supervise any Climate Project.
3.2 CarbonZero reviews applications before a Climate Project is published (section 7). This review is limited in scope and is carried out for CarbonZero's own purposes. It is not an audit, a due diligence examination or a certification, and it creates no duty towards any User.
3.3 CarbonZero gives no guarantee or warranty of any kind regarding any Climate Project or Project Team, and in particular none regarding: the accuracy or completeness of the information a Project Team provides; the identity, solvency or conduct of a Project Team; whether a Funding Request will be funded or its work carried out; how a Contribution is used; or any climate, environmental or other result, including any reduction or removal of greenhouse gas emissions.
3.4 A Contribution is not an investment. It gives no right to any return, share, interest, reward, carbon credit or offset. CarbonZero is not a registered charity, and no payment made through the Platform is tax‑deductible by reason of CarbonZero's involvement.
3.5 CarbonZero does not receive, hold or transfer Contributions. They are paid by the Supporter through the Payment Provider directly to the Project Team's own account with that provider.
4. Climate Patrons
4.1 A Patron Payment is a payment to CarbonZero that funds its own work, including promoting the Climate Projects on the Platform. It is not passed on to any particular Climate Project, and it gives the Climate Patron no right to direct how CarbonZero uses it.
4.2 The Climate Patron chooses the amount and the currency: Swiss francs (CHF), euros (EUR) or US dollars (USD). Payment is charged in the chosen currency. Any currency conversion, and any fee charged for it, is a matter between the Climate Patron and their bank or card issuer.
4.3 A recurring Patron Payment is charged on the day it is set up and then every month or every year, in the same amount, until it is stopped. A valid email address is required for recurring payments.
4.4 A Climate Patron may stop a recurring Patron Payment at any time, in their account on the Platform, through the Payment Provider, or by writing to us. No further payment is charged once it has been stopped. Payments already made are not refunded, except under clause 4.5.
4.5 If a Patron Payment was made by mistake, or in the wrong amount, CarbonZero will refund it in full on written request received within 30 days of the payment.
4.6 A Climate Patron who disputes a payment agrees to contact us before starting a chargeback or payment dispute with their bank or the Payment Provider, so that we can resolve it.
4.7 A Climate Patron may choose to have their first name and a photo shown on our Climate Patrons page. CarbonZero checks every name and photo before it is shown, and may refuse or remove either without giving reasons.
5. Supporting a Climate Project
5.1 A Contribution is made to the Project Team, which receives it directly through the Payment Provider. Any agreement arising from a Contribution is concluded solely between the Supporter and the Project Team.
5.2 A Supporter may indicate a Funding Request when making a Contribution. This signals the Supporter's priority to the Project Team; it does not earmark the Contribution. Contributions are received by the Project Team for the Climate Project as a whole.
5.3 Before making a Contribution, a Supporter is responsible for forming their own judgement of the Climate Project and the Project Team. The Supporter acknowledges that a Climate Project may fail, be delayed, change or be abandoned, and that a Contribution may therefore be lost in whole or in part.
5.4 Requests for refunds of a Contribution are to be addressed to the Project Team, which alone decides on them and makes them through its account with the Payment Provider. CarbonZero has no obligation to refund a Contribution.
5.5 CarbonZero's share of a Contribution (clause 7.8) is deducted by the Payment Provider when the Contribution is made.
6. Project Teams: application and review
6.1 An organisation may apply to host a Climate Project that reduces climate change or helps people adapt to it. The organisation must be registered in a country in which the Payment Provider operates, and the person applying must be authorised to act for it.
6.2 CarbonZero reviews each application by hand and decides, at its sole discretion, whether to approve it. CarbonZero may request additional information or identification at any time, need not give reasons for refusing an application, and has no obligation to approve any application. A refused organisation may apply again.
6.3 The Payment Provider carries out its own verification of the Project Team. Opening and keeping an account with the Payment Provider is a condition of receiving Contributions and is subject to the Payment Provider's own terms.
7. Project Teams: obligations
7.1 Once approved, a Project Team decides when to publish its project page and may unpublish it at any time.
7.2 The Project Team undertakes to CarbonZero:
7.3 The Project Team is solely responsible for carrying out the Climate Project, for its dealings with Supporters, and for all obligations arising from Contributions.
7.4 The Project Team is solely responsible for declaring and paying any taxes, duties and charges on Contributions, and for issuing any receipts or confirmations a Supporter may require.
7.5 CarbonZero may suspend a Climate Project or a single Funding Request, or withdraw its approval, with immediate effect and without liability, if it has reason to believe that information provided is untrue, that Contributions are not used as described, that these Terms or the law have been breached, or that continuing would harm Supporters or CarbonZero. CarbonZero will inform the Project Team of the reason in writing.
7.6 Suspension or withdrawal of approval does not affect Contributions already received, which remain the Project Team's responsibility.
7.7 The Project Team shall indemnify and hold harmless CarbonZero, its officers and volunteers against all claims, losses, costs and expenses, including reasonable legal fees, arising from the Climate Project, the Project Team's Content, its use of Contributions, or its breach of these Terms or of the law.
7.8 CarbonZero charges a share of each Contribution as its fee for the Platform. The share is communicated to the Project Team before its project page is first published, and is deducted by the Payment Provider when each Contribution is made. It is not refunded if the Project Team refunds a Supporter, unless the law requires otherwise.
8. Content
8.1 Users keep ownership of the Content they submit. Each User grants CarbonZero a free, worldwide, non‑exclusive licence, for as long as the Content remains on the Platform and for a reasonable period after, to host, reproduce, adapt for display and publish the Content on the Platform, and to use it to promote the Climate Project concerned and CarbonZero.
8.2 Each User warrants that their Content does not infringe the rights of any third party and is not unlawful, and shall indemnify CarbonZero against any claim that it does.
8.3 CarbonZero does not monitor Content in advance and is not responsible for it. CarbonZero may remove or refuse any Content, at its sole discretion and without notice.
8.4 The Platform's design, text, software and marks belong to CarbonZero or its licensors. They may not be copied or used without our prior written consent.
8.5 The Platform may link to or embed content from third parties, such as video services. CarbonZero is not responsible for that content or for those services.
9. Accounts and use of the Platform
9.1 A User is responsible for keeping access to their account secure, including access to the email address used to sign in, and for all activity carried out through it.
9.2 Users shall not use the Platform for any unlawful, fraudulent or misleading purpose; submit false information; interfere with the Platform's operation or security; or access it by automated means without our consent.
9.3 CarbonZero may suspend or close any account that breaches these Terms. A User may close their account at any time. Closing an account does not stop a recurring payment set up through a Payment Provider unless the payment is also stopped under clause 4.4.
10. Payment Providers
10.1 All payments are processed by the Payment Provider under its own terms. CarbonZero never receives or stores card or bank details.
10.2 CarbonZero is not responsible for the acts, omissions, availability, fees or decisions of any Payment Provider, including any refusal, delay, reversal or withholding of a payment.
10.3 CarbonZero may change the Payment Provider at any time.
11. Company sponsorship
11.1 A company sponsorship is an advertising service provided by CarbonZero. Each Sponsor receives a written agreement and an invoice, with Swiss VAT where it applies. The terms of that agreement apply in addition to these Terms and prevail over them.
11.2 Sponsorship gives the Sponsor no influence over which Climate Projects are published, shown or funded.
12. Availability of the Platform
12.1 The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available". CarbonZero does not warrant that it will be uninterrupted, error‑free or free of harmful components.
12.2 CarbonZero may change, suspend or discontinue the Platform or any part of it at any time, in particular for maintenance, security or legal reasons.
13. Liability
13.1 To the fullest extent permitted by law, CarbonZero's liability is excluded. CarbonZero is liable only for damage caused by its unlawful intent or gross negligence.
13.2 Without limiting clause 13.1, CarbonZero is in particular not liable for: the acts or omissions of Project Teams, Supporters, Sponsors or other Users; the success, failure, delay or results of any Climate Project; the use or misuse of any Contribution; the accuracy of any information or Content provided by Users; the acts or omissions of any Payment Provider; interruptions of the Platform or loss of data; or any indirect or consequential damage, loss of profit or loss of opportunity.
13.3 To the extent permitted by law, liability for persons CarbonZero engages to perform its obligations, including volunteers, is excluded entirely.
13.4 Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot be excluded or limited under mandatory law.
14. Force majeure
CarbonZero is not liable for any failure or delay caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including natural disasters, epidemics, war, acts of authorities, strikes, and failures of networks, hosting services or Payment Providers.
15. Changes to these Terms
15.1 CarbonZero may amend these Terms at any time. The amended Terms are published on this page with a new date and apply from that date.
15.2 Where an amendment materially affects the rights or obligations of Project Teams, CarbonZero shall notify each Project Team concerned by email no less than 30 days before the amendment takes effect. A Project Team that does not accept the amendment may, before that date, unpublish its project page. Contributions received before unpublication remain the sole responsibility of the Project Team.
15.3 Any use of the Platform after an amendment has taken effect constitutes acceptance of the amended Terms. A Climate Patron who does not accept an amendment may stop a recurring Patron Payment at any time in accordance with clause 4.4; this shall be the Climate Patron's sole remedy in respect of the amendment.
16. General provisions
16.1 If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in force. The invalid provision shall be replaced by a valid one that comes closest to its intended purpose.
16.2 A failure or delay by CarbonZero in exercising a right does not waive it.
16.3 CarbonZero may transfer its rights and obligations under these Terms to another company. Users may not transfer theirs without our prior written consent.
16.4 Notices to Users are given by email to the address they provided, or by publication on the Platform. Notices to CarbonZero are given in writing to the address in clause 1.1 or through our contact page.
16.5 These Terms may be published in several languages. If versions differ, the English version prevails.
17. Governing law and jurisdiction
17.1 These Terms and all disputes arising from them are governed by Swiss law, excluding its conflict‑of‑laws rules and the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.
17.2 The exclusive place of jurisdiction is Lugano, Switzerland.
17.3 Mandatory provisions protecting consumers, including those on applicable law and on a consumer's right to bring or defend proceedings at their place of residence, remain reserved.
18. Contact
Questions about these Terms may be sent through our contact page, or by WhatsApp to +41 76 707 66 34 (European business hours).
Last updated 27 September 2026.