Is stored – climate monus rather: who is the most affected

A CO2 price for heating and fuels in Austria since 2022, the Climate Monus that has been introduced to compensate for additional costs, must be abolished for the renovation of the budget. However, the studies presented on Monday show that people in poorer households and the country would meet.

The costs rise for everyone
The CO2 price is an internationally widespread, effective instrument for emission reduction, emphasizes Thomas Leoni, head of the business faculty of the Wiener Neustadt University of Applied Sciences, emphasizes at an online press conference of “discourse”. According to calculations in the Farecarbon project, however, the costs of living in all income would increase tightly without a compensation measure.

The burden for households with a low income would therefore be the most powerful, especially in rural areas, where the dependence on the car and fossil fuels for heating is greater.

Effects can be filled in
In households with little money and high energy and fuel costs, CO2 prices rise about twice as much as for an average household, a study by the expert in the field of weather and climate management, Judith Köberl, also presented on the appointment by Joanneum Research. However, if the income is repaid to households, these effects can be filled in and social inequalities can be reduced.

Government plan accurate enough?
In the current government program, it is currently only planned that a “partial fee for commuters and commuters in the form of a deduction of 1.1,2026” should take place, although according to Leoni this would not be accurately designed, nor would it compensate for higher costs in heating and life. The Social Fund of the EU’s Climate, which is intended to dampen stress from the emissions trading for buildings and traffic, is only defeated from 2027.

“By completing the climate bonus, it can be expected that vulnerable groups carry the load a little stronger,” Köberl emphasized. From the point of view of the research results, it would be preferable to pay the climate monus at least the vulnerable groups. That would still have a savings effect for the budget. So far, more money has been paid through the climate monus than the CO2 price has been taken, as Leoni emphasized.

Social and regional graduation
He and Köberl also presented the most sensible compensation methods according to their studies. According to the Farecarbon project, a climate monus would be best suited to compensate for socially undesirable effects and to reduce inequality, especially with the social graduation of payment.

Alternative compensation measures such as a reduction in vital tax on vital goods would result in a little lower costs of living for everyone, but not a significant reduction in social inequality. A reduction in non -wages cannot compensate for the increase in the costs of living in each income group. Regional differences may also not be hidden.

Partially overcompensation possible
According to Köberl’s calculations, reimbursement systems that are more focused on vulnerable groups or households with a low income, negative well-being effects of CO2 prices and income lenses can reduce more effectively than a fixed speed. A regionally differentiated reimbursement, similar to the climate monus, also cuts a little better.

After the poorer households have even received compensation in all these systems, parts of the income from the Köberl perspective could also be used for corresponding measures that make it easier to switch to less emission behavior-it is an extension of public transport, free public use for households with low incomes or extra subsidies for heating system exchange.

Greens see each other confirmed
The greens, at the request of the introduction of the climate bonus in the past black and green federal government, saw themselves confirmed by the studies in their criticism of the abolition on Monday. Climate protection only works if you also take the population with you and pay off the climate -friendly behavior, says budget spokesperson Jakob Schwarz. “This is not exactly a CO2 price without compensation. We support improvements, in particular a socially amazing, but a removal of the climate monus would be counterproductive and only damage the economy.”