CO2 Price

The CO₂ price creates a financial incentive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by requiring a price to be paid for each ton of CO₂ emitted.
The EU ETS (Emissions Trading System) is the central instrument of the EU and applies to energy-intensive industries, electricity generation, and intra-European aviation. The number of available certificates decreases annually to reduce emissions.
In 2022, Austria introduced a national CO₂ pricing for sectors outside the EU ETS. The price started at 30 €/t CO₂ and increased to 55 €/t CO₂ in 2025.
Currently, a climate bonus is paid out in Austria to cushion the additional costs for citizens, depending on the place of residence (higher in rural areas with fewer alternatives to cars). Currently, more money is paid out for the climate bonus than is collected through the CO₂ price.