A new study by Greenpeace Germany shows how a reduction of climate-damaging subsidies in Germany could relieve the federal government budget by up to 46 billion euros annually. At the same time it would save almost 100 million tons of CO2 equivalents. This is roughly the equivalent to the climate impact of the annual car traffic in Germany. The study looks at ten particularly climate-damaging subsidies and sorts them according to where the most tax money and CO2 can be saved. The most important information of the study are highlighted in an English summary.
Two of the ten greatest potentials for reducing climate-damaging subsidies are linked directly to tourism through air travel: The exemption for energy taxes on kerosene favors domestic air travel over other, less climate-damaging modes of transport such as road or rail. The VAT exemption for international air traffic also contributes to the fact that air traffic is excessively favored.