ANNOUNCEMENTS••Edited
The bullet went through the church last night after lengthy negotiations. Residents of the European Union have to pay for the greenhouse gases they emit. This means that every time you refuel and if the heating is on, you have to pay due to the harmful substances that are released as a result.
Anyone who insulates their home well, buys a heat pump or switches to an electric car can receive subsidies from a special fund. There will also be money for those who have less to spend, also due to inflation. More than 86 billion euros are available in that fund.
CO2 emissions must be more than halved
The measures are part of a package of climate laws. By 2030, CO2 emissions must be reduced by 55%. European industry, which in part already has to do so, will have to contend with higher emissions costs and non-European companies will pay for their emissions at the border. The money raised with this can be spent on climate plans.
Citizens and companies will have to pay for the CO2 from the exhaust and chimney. This goes through energy companies and pumping stations. They have to pay the emission rights and then charge the customer who comes to fill up or light the gas stove.
“I am delighted that a balanced agreement has been reached on the largest ever climate legislative package in the EU,” says MEP Esther de Lange (CDA). She was one of the negotiators and coordinator of the Green Deal and chief negotiator of the Social Climate Fund.
“With this agreement we are drastically reducing emissions in Europe, but in a socially responsible way without harming European industry. The introduction of the ETS for transport and buildings is necessary to achieve our climate goals. This can be done not without social measures to help people make this transition, as European businesses and households are already facing exceptionally high energy prices”.
In recent days there has been a consultation on three major climate plans, which needed to be coordinated: CBAM, ETS and the Social Climate Fund.
In Europe, heavy industry can only emit emissions for which it has CO2 certificates. This is called the ETS Emissions Trading Scheme (see image below). Each year, the EU determines how many of these so-called CO2 certificates can be distributed to industry. The amount of allowances distributed decreases every year, so Europe’s emissions decrease.
Companies are allowed to trade with these rights, hence the name Emissions Trading System. If a company produces economically, that company can sell the other certificates to polluting companies that need additional rights. The cheaper farms are therefore more profitable and there is a financial incentive to start producing sustainably.
NOS/Harm Kersten
It was feared that this system would cause companies to leave Europe. As companies in Europe have to pay more for their emissions, their products are more expensive than those of companies outside Europe. Due to this unfair competition, companies may choose to leave Europe. Thus, the industry got part of its rights for free and received subsidies. This has partially removed the financial incentive to become more sustainable.
The EU has found a solution for this: the CBAM (see image below). As soon as polluting companies from outside Europe want to sell their products in Europe, they pay for their CO2 emissions at the border.
NOS/Harm Kersten
Got it a few years ago Central environment that the Dutch are responsible for three times more CO2 emissions than the average citizen of the world.
Fossil fuels oil and natural gas are the largest emitters of CO2 when burned, especially when burned to produce electricity.
As it stands, the plans will go into effect in 2027, the Social Climate Fund a year earlier. It is expected that this will involve small amounts for citizens. For example, says a spokesperson, a fueling session will not become more than 10 euro cents more expensive on average, as expected. Plans have been made for the energy crisis.
