CO2 certificates / emissions trading

Nachhaltigkeitab 13 J.

Companies have to pay for their CO2 emissions – around €40–100 per tonne. The more CO2, the more expensive. This is meant to create incentives to cut emissions.

Emissions trading is a market-based instrument for climate protection: companies have to buy a certificate for every tonne of CO2 they emit.

How it works:

• The EU sets a cap on how much CO2 may be emitted in total
• This amount is divided into certificates and sold/auctioned
• Companies that emit less can sell surplus certificates
• Companies that emit more have to buy additional certificates

Price (2026): approx. €40–80 per tonne of CO2 in the EU emissions trading system. Since 2021 Germany has also had a national CO2 price on heating oil, gas and fuels (approx. €55/tonne) – it makes petrol, diesel and heating more expensive.

What it means for you: the CO2 price raises petrol by approx. 15 cents/litre and gas by approx. 1.5 cents/kWh. Rising – €65/tonne is planned from 2026.

Did you know? Since 2005, the EU Emissions Trading System has cut emissions in the sectors involved by more than 40% – and is considered the EU's most effective climate protection instrument.

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