The International monetary Fund (IMF) has called for the introduction of a global CO2 tax to combat climate change. In a joint statement, IMF Head Christine Lagarde and the IMF Director of fiscal policy, Vitor Gaspar, for such a levy. As you write in your Blog post, you would have reduced global emissions of carbon dioxide by 2030, a third and a levy in the amount of about 62 euros per ton of CO2 to be collected, the objectives of the Paris climate agreement to be complied with.
Lagarde, and Gaspar, according to there is a “growing consensus” that the taxation was the “most efficient tool” to limit the consumption of fossil fuels and the associated emissions of CO2. In addition, the levy give the revenue necessary for the transition to renewable energy sources.
However, such taxation would have a differently strong effect on the CO2 emissions of individual countries. Therefore, in China, the country with the world’s largest emissions, a tax of the equivalent of about 39 euros, a decrease of CO2-Emission by 30 percent. The same is true for India and South Africa, where energy mainly from coal, is obtained. In countries such as France, which gain energy from other sources, such as nuclear power, would cause the control to a drop of only ten percent.
Chancellor against a CO2-tax
In Germany, the formation is currently strong resistance to a national CO2 tax, especially in the government parties CDU and CSU. German Chancellor Angela Merkel had spoken at the end of April against this idea. You should charge the people in the area of climate protection as little as possible, said the former CDU Chairman and, instead, to sell as in the industrial certificates, in order to reduce the emissions of climate-damaging carbon dioxide. This results in a price for the Tonne of CO2 to develop.
Merkel’s successor in the office of the CDU leader, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, wants to position itself according to a report by the mirror against the introduction of a CO2 tax. A CDU spokeswoman confirmed this with the words: “In the context of the discussion on the pricing of CO2 has arisen within the CDU Federal Executive Board a clear opinion, primarily about the possibilities of an enhanced certificate trading to contemplate.”
“The CDU is evolving in a Mind-party”
The opposition Greens, criticised this stance. “The CDU has not understood the seriousness of the situation,” said group chief Katrin Göring-Eckardt of the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung. “If we want to maintain our prosperity, we must take action against the climate crisis. And not able to do with Wait and see.” Emissions of climate-damaging CO2 needs to finally get “a fair price”. For your party leader Anna Lena Baerbock, the Chancellor is developing an indoor party to “party”, as you said the German press Agency. “She rejects any real climate protection measure. You want to have a burnout no climate protection law, there is no CO2 price, the coal opt-out act.”
Actually want to say goodbye to the great coalition in the course of this year, a climate protection law. Currently, both national and European climate protection targets will not be met, it is expensive penalty payments may become necessary. The Federal environment Minister, Svenja Schulze (SPD) called for a CO2 tax, with the income of the citizens should, however, be otherwise relieved. A concept is currently in work, the Federal government has given several opinions in order.
