Germany will purchase more than eleven million emission certificates from EU partners in the years 2013 to 2020 due to missed climate targets. According to the Federal Ministry of Economics, the corresponding contracts with Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Hungary were signed on the sidelines of the meeting of the EU environment ministers in Luxembourg on Monday. The costs for the federal budget were initially given as “several million” euros.
“Germany missed its climate targets between 2013 and 2020 in important sectors, especially in the transport and building sectors,” said European State Secretary Sven Giegold (Greens). “As a result, we are now buying emission allowances from EU countries that have exceeded their climate targets.” According to the EU Emissions Trading Act, a purchased emission certificate entitles you to emit one tonne of CO₂.
The “weak climate policy” of the previous federal government is now costing Germany dearly, Giegold explained. Compared to the future fines due to missed climate targets, “this time we’ll get away with it cheaply”.
After all, the money for the emission certificates is now “directly invested in additional climate protection measures in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Hungary,” he added. According to the ministry, the purchase contracts stipulate that Hungary will use them to purchase electrically operated city buses, the Czech Republic will promote the energy-efficient renovation of homes and Bulgaria will upgrade schools and other public buildings.
