CO2-Bepreisung in Deutschland: Kenntnisstand privater Haushalte im Jahr 2022
Diskussionspapier
In 2021, the so-called CO2 pricing of fossil fuels was introduced in Germany to reduce their consumption for the purpose of climate protection. This price surcharge on fossil fuels will be successively increased in the coming years. This paper examines citizens' knowledge of the mode of action and level of CO2 pricing and the resulting individual financial consequences for them. A survey of more than 6,000 households from 2022 shows that the vast majority of respondents feel not at all or rather poorly informed about CO2 pricing. This is confirmed above all by the lack of knowledge about the individual financial consequences: An overwhelming majority of over 80% of respondents do know that the CO2 price is added to fossil fuels such as gasoline, diesel, heating oil and natural gas. However, they are unable to correctly estimate the cost burden resulting for them from the CO2 price. On the contrary, they often overestimate the financial consequences. Moreover, many respondents mistakenly assume that the CO2 price will also be levied on other goods such as kerosene or plastic bags. These results call into question the effectiveness of CO2 pricing. Politicians and scientists alike are therefore called upon to promote the effectiveness of this climate protection instrument through better communication and greater transparency.