The CO2 price could become a key instrument in achieving the 2030 and 2045 climate targets. In an inter- and transdisciplinary project, the steering and distribution effects of different variants of CO2 pricing as well as the prerequisites for increasing social acceptance were examined. Various CO2 pricing scenarios were developed, subjected to social science analyses in the field and finally the effects of these scenarios were modeled in micro, macro and system analyses. The (interim) results were discussed with experts and citizens. The aim was to find socially acceptable solutions and to increase acceptance of the CO2 price by communicating these solutions. Overall, the results show that there is no "right" way to implement a carbon price. Depending on whether the focus should be on climate protection, social policy or something else, there are various options with different advantages and disadvantages. The carbon price is a market instrument that integrates the public good "climate protection" into the market, and there is no "free lunch" in this context. In the end, politicians must continue to promote the CO2 price in order to rally a majority of the population behind it. Reorganizing the use of revenue alone is not enough to achieve broad support.

Institut für Energiewirtschaft und Rationelle Energieanwendung (IER)

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