In 2022, the Dutch government raised more than 1 billion euros for the first time with the sale of CO2 rights. The Netherlands auctioned just over fourteen million so-called emission allowances for more than 1.13 billion euros.
This is evident from the auction monitor of the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa), which auctions the allowances on behalf of our country. Brussels determines how many emission allowances are available for the entire European Union. These are distributed among the member states, which are allowed to sell them. They do not have to be sold to companies from the country that holds the rights.
One emission allowance is equivalent to the emission of 1 ton of CO2. The amount of allowances that become available decreases every year. As a result, the rights are becoming more and more expensive. This encourages companies that need rights to emit CO2 to become more sustainable.
“In 2021, one emission allowance cost an average of 54 euros, in 2022 it was almost 80 euros on average,” the NEa reports. “In February, the price for one emission allowance reached a new record: one allowance then cost more than 97 euros.”
