COreFAKTEN – Social acceptance of a CO₂ price for energy consumption

In its Climate Action Programme 2030, the Federal Government has announced that it will introduce national CO₂ pricing for the first time. The estimated starting price is 25 euros per tonne of CO₂ as of 2021. The climate effect that can be expected from this is rather low – it is reasonable to assume that concerns about social acceptance in particular prevent more ambitious CO₂ pricing.

The COreFAKTEN project aims to help understand the conditions for the social acceptance of a price on carbon. Its goal is a fact-based CO₂ oriented reform of the system of energy fees, taxes and surcharges. In focus are households that are particularly burdened by energy-related expenses such as electricity and heating costs. In this way, the project can make an important contribution to ensuring that CO₂ pricing is socially acceptable and effectively designed. In addition, COreFAKTEN will develop the scientific basis for a target group-specific communication strategy. The findings will help to better understand the mechanisms that lead to the acceptance or non-acceptance of CO₂ pricing, particularly in connection with social acceptability.

adelphi took over the project management and provided major support for the project partners in the analysis of the social acceptance of a national CO₂ price with the help of behavioural economic, socio-psychological and communication science research. Fraunhofer ISI performed empirical research using focus groups. RWTH Aachen then quantified the acquired knowledge in a multi-criteria, empirically based decision analysis (conjoint measurement). Based on this analysis, the consortium developed a concept to improve the acceptance of CO₂ price and include it in a communication strategy.

The project results are based on empirical data collection with different, complementary approaches as well as intensive discussions with experts on social acceptance issues and on climate and energy policy in the project advisory boards. Among others, the following experts supported the project as advisory board members: