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Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) - Environment Minister Franz Untersteller campaigned for CO2 pricing in his last speech in the Baden-Württemberg state parliament.
"For a long time it was simply free to deposit CO2 in the atmosphere," said the Green politician in plenary on Wednesday.
But if it's free, no one is racking their brains about how to reduce the pollutant.
In 2019, the 150 plants in Baden-Württemberg that are affected by European emissions trading emitted 4.8 million tons less CO2 after years of stagnation.
The development continued in 2020.
The energy transition makes sense not only ecologically, but also economically, said Untersteller.
"This is where my deep conviction lies."
After his speech, the 63-year-old received applause not only from members of his own parliamentary group.
Untersteller has been the state's environment minister since 2011.
A year ago, he announced that he would not run again for the 2021 state election.
In order to make fossil fuels more expensive and to promote climate-friendly alternatives, there has been a national CO2 price for transport and heating since January 1, 2021.
Selling companies such as refineries have to pay 25 euros to start with for every ton of CO2 that is produced when diesel and petrol, heating oil and natural gas are burned.
The price is passed on to customers; according to the federal government, the price per liter of gasoline rises by 7 cents, for diesel and heating oil by 7.9 cents, and natural gas increases by 0.6 cents per kilowatt hour.
The price for one tonne of CO2 is to increase gradually to 55 euros per tonne by 2025.
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© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210203-99-285299 / 2