BERLIN, June 13 (Xinhua) -- German environmental minister Svenja Schulze is expecting a decision for a possible tax on carbon dioxide (CO2) in September this year, German magazine Spiegel reported on Thursday.
The new CO2 tax would have to have a "steering effect" so that "different cars will be built and buildings will be renovated", Schulze told Spiegel in an interview.
The tax would also have to be "socially fair" and should not represent a new "source of income" for the German government, Schulze said.
Schulze is planning to present a concept for a CO2 tax to German Chancellor Angela Merkel as well as the governmental climate cabinet in July. The governmental climate cabinet was found in March to support the government to fulfill its climate targets set for the year 2030.
Schulze had spoken up for a tax on the emission of CO2 back in April. Back then, she did not want to commit herself to a tax level, but quoted the head of the economic experts, who proposed 20 euros (24.8 U.S. dollars) per ton of CO2 emitted as a starting point.
The German division of the global Fridays For Future demonstrations is demanding a tax of 180 Euros per emitted ton of CO2.
The emission of 1 ton of CO2 caused cost of around 180 euros by creating health hazards, destroying ecosystems as well as leading to economic damages like production stoppages, crop losses or damage to buildings and infrastructure, the German Environment Agency (UBA) had announced at the end of last year.
It would not be reasonable that "flying in Germany is cheaper than traveling by train", Schulze said in the interview, calling for the introduction of a tax on kerosene. In addition, traveling by train in Germany would need to be made cheaper, Schulze added.
