German government must act quickly on CO2 pricing, after expert opinion – commentaries

The “clear recommendations” on CO₂ pricing given by Germany’s top economic advisers “mark a milestone”, Klaus Stratmann argues in an opinion piece in Handelsblatt. “Nobody can continue to say there are no conclusive concepts for the introduction of a CO₂ price,” Stratmann writes, calling on government to take the expert opinion “very seriously and act as quickly as possible”.
In an opinion piece for the Rheinische Post, Birgit Marschall writes that “Berlin must act now,” arguing that whether government has the courage to introduce a CO₂ price will be decisive for German climate action.

Having long shied away from the debate, German political leaders are finally considering a price on CO2 to help reach the country's climate targets. Major parties and research institutes are pitching their ideas for a carbon price, whether in the shape of a CO2 tax or a trading scheme. The government’s top economic advisors proposed that Germany should introduce a price on carbon emissions for sectors such as transport and buildings currently not covered by the EU Emissions Trading System. This is seen as an interim measure, with the long term goal being an integrated European system that sets a single price across sectors.