Rechtsfragen einer CO2-Bepreisung

CO2 pricing in Germany does not encounter insurmountable legal obstacles, but depends on political will. If this will exists, then the energy taxes for heating oil, natural gas, petrol and diesel can be supplemented by a CO2 component and the external environmental costs per tonne of CO2 can be at least partially internalised. The CO2 pricing does not have to lead to an increase in the tax burden either. Rather, the revenues from CO2 pricing can be returned to the population in the form of a “climate premium”. For this purpose, a general sales tax refund in a uniform amount is appropriate, which at the same time reduces the regressive effect of the sales tax.