Financial expert criticizes consumer advice center's demand for climate money repayment

Financial expert criticizes consumer advice center's demand for climate money repayment

According to a report by www.ruhr24.de, several associations, including the Federal Association of Consumer Organizations (VZBV), are demanding a reimbursement from the government of 139 euros per citizen in December 2023. This amount should come from the revenue from the CO₂ price and be returned to citizens as climate money. The demands were raised by various associations such as the WWF and the Arbeiterwohlfahrt. The consumer advocates calculated the required amount based on revenue of 11.4 billion euros since the introduction of the CO₂ price.

The idea behind climate money is to reward climate-conscious behavior and to return the income from higher CO₂ pricing to citizens. This will take the form of an annual payout and will reward both people who act in a more environmentally harmful manner and more climate-friendly behavior.

The impact of a possible refund of 139 euros per citizen could be significant. On the one hand, this would improve the financial situation of citizens and reward them for climate-conscious behavior. It could also incentivize more people to act more environmentally friendly, which in turn could have a positive impact on CO₂ emissions. However, such a measure could also have an impact on the state budget and the economy, as the repayment of 11.4 billion euros would require significant financial resources.

It remains to be seen how the government will respond to these demands and whether a repayment of this amount can actually be implemented. The discussion about climate money and its effects on the market and consumers is ongoing. It is important to carefully consider all aspects before making decisions.