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For the project "Social Aspects of Market-Based Instruments for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions – SoMBI" Austria and Poland were chosen as case study countries to compare the impacts of an EU-wide carbon price combined with different revenue recycling policies. The detailed analysis will focus on the macroeconomic and greenhouse gas emission effects of the introduction of the carbon pricing and revenue recycling schemes as well as the distributional effects of such price mechanisms for different household types. The two countries were chosen as they differ considerably in terms of their energy systems and economic conditions. Further differences regard the level of ambition of the respective domestic climate policies as well as the priorities set in energy policies. The aim of this paper is to provide indications of the sectors that are emission-intensive and/or labour-intensive and are likely to gain or lose from the chosen revenue recycling mechanisms. Moreover, the findings will provide background information for the interpretation of modelling results for the various carbon pricing and recycling options.

This research brief provides an overview of the characteristics of households potentially at risk of double energy vulnerability. First, we ask what determines low-income households that are particularly affected by pricing CO₂ emissions. Based on this, we identify characteristics that are considered relevant for mapping households' vulnerability to rising carbon prices and look for suitable indicators that can quantify these categories. From the sum of identified characteristics, we identify vulnerable households and present preliminary results on how many households in Austria are potentially significantly affected by rising fuel and carbon prices.

In this paper, we present a novel approach of linking the technical model of the continental European electricity system ATLANTIS with the macroeconomic model DYNK to provide comprehensive integrated power and socio-economic analyses. We thoroughly describe both models and explain the work that has been done to interlink the models. Further, we take Austria's generation expansion plans to transform the electricity sector to 100 percent renewable energy sources (national balance) by 2030 and analyse the effects of different CO₂ prices on the electricity demand that couples the two models via a feedback loop. As the electricity price and demand are interlaced and influence each other, the linked models are solved iteratively until convergence, i.e., until the change of the electricity demand from the DYNK model does not affect the electricity price in the ATLANTIS model anymore. The results show that coupling a technical and macroeconomic model is possible and convergence is achieved after just a few iterations.

In the "Fit for 55" package of July 2021, the European Commission proposed inter alia a revision of the energy taxation directive with the intent of increasing tax rates for fossil fuels that should contribute to achieving the EU's emission reduction targets for 2030. Since then, climate policy challenges in the EU have been amplified by sharp increases in electricity and gas prices mainly as a result of the war in Ukraine. Energy price spikes have led to the implementation of numerous compensation measures for households and firms in EU member countries. In this article, we provide an overview of the discussion on energy taxation in the EU and analyse compensation measures implemented during the energy crisis. We find that energy cost related compensation measures counter climate policy efforts. A stronger focus on vulnerable groups would have reduced the overall costs of measures and entailed stronger energy efficiency incentives.

We analyse the (techno- and macro-)economic and distributive effects of a transformation to a renewable electricity system in Austria by 2030, as stipulated by the Austrian government. For the analysis, the macroeconomic model DYNK and ATLANTIS, a partial model of the electricity market, were expanded and linked. Four transformation scenarios conforming with the 100 percent renewable electricity target in Austria on a national balance are examined, integrated into a consistent scenario for the development of the European electricity system. Additionally, sensitivity analyses with respect to the gas price are performed. Although all scenarios achieve 100 percent RES-E on a national balance, the analysis shows that electricity from gas-fired power plants will still be needed in 2030 to balance variable renewable generation, to avoid grid congestion, and for heat generation from combined heat and power plants in winter months. Another main conclusion from the simulations is that the transition towards a renewable electricity sector is almost neutral from a socio-economic perspective. It does neither reveal harmful impacts nor lead to high multiplier effects from additional investment. With high natural gas prices in the sensitivity scenarios a decrease in GDP and household income, which might motivate redistributive policies, can be observed.

Der vorliegende Beitrag analysiert Optionen zur Entlastung von Unternehmen angesichts der derzeit hohen Energiepreise. Unterstützungsmaßnahmen sollten auf Unternehmen beschränkt werden, die ihre Kosten nicht weitergeben können, da sie im internationalen Wettbewerb stehen. Ein koordiniertes Vorgehen auf EU-Ebene ist prinzipiell nationalen "Insellösungen" vorzuziehen. Mit dem konkreten Design des Energiekostenzuschusses für Unternehmen hat sich die österreichische Bundesregierung für ein breitflächiges Subventionsregime unter Inkaufnahme entsprechend hoher Mitnahmeeffekte und gegen eine zielgerichtete Unterstützung entschieden. Ein allgemeiner Verlustrücktrag kombiniert mit Liquiditätshilfen (Haftungen und Garantien) wäre ökonomisch effizienter und ökologisch nachhaltiger gewesen.

Unterstützungsmaßnahmen für Unternehmen zur Abfederung hoher Energiekosten sollten auf jene Unternehmen beschränkt werden, die ihre Kosten nicht weitergeben können, da sie im internationalen Wettbewerb stehen. Um den Binnenmarkt nicht zu verzerren, ist prinzipiell ein koordiniertes Vorgehen auf europäischer Ebene anzustreben und nationalen "Insellösungen" vorzuziehen. Aus ökologischer Perspektive sind insbesondere ein Aussetzen des nationalen Emissionshandels sowie der Ende September 2022 von der Bundesregierung vorgestellte Energiekostenzuschuss für Unternehmen kritisch zu sehen. Mit dem konkreten Programmdesign des Energiekostenzuschusses für Unternehmen hat sich die Bundesregierung für ein breitflächig ausgerolltes Subventionsregime unter Inkaufnahme entsprechend hoher Mitnahmeeffekte und gegen eine zielgerichtete Unterstützung von Unternehmen mit intakten Geschäftsmodellen entschieden. Ein allgemeiner Verlustrücktrag kombiniert mit Liquiditätshilfen (Haftungen und Garantien) und einer Senkung der Lohnnebenkosten wäre budgetschonender und ökonomisch effizienter gewesen.

As a result of the measures taken to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, Austria's economic output decreased by 6.7 percent in 2020 compared with the previous year. Greenhouse gas emissions fell by 7.7 percent (or 6.1 million t CO₂ equivalents) and reached their lowest level since 1990. The transport sector accounted for more than half of the total decrease in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 2019. However, the emissions reductions do not reflect structural improvements in energy or emissions intensity; rather, they are short-term declines resulting from reduced economic activity and limited private mobility due to COVID-19 related restrictions and increased home-office schemes. Therefore, consistent implementation of measures leading to a sustainable reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is required to achieve the climate policy objectives, in particular the Austrian target of climate neutrality by 2040.

Infolge der Maßnahmen zur Eindämmung der COVID-19-Pandemie schrumpfte Österreichs Wirtschaftsleistung 2020 um 6,7% gegenüber dem Vorjahr. Die Treibhausgasemissionen sanken um 7,7% ( 6,1 Mio. t CO2-Äquivalente) und erreichten den niedrigsten Stand seit 1990. Der Verkehrssektor trug dabei im Vorjahresvergleich über die Hälfte zum Gesamtrückgang bei. Die Emissionsreduktionen spiegeln allerdings keine strukturelle Verbesserung der Energie- oder Emissionsintensität wider. Es handelt sich vielmehr um kurzfristige Rückgänge infolge der verringerten Wirtschaftsleistung und der eingeschränkten privaten Mobilität durch Verkehrsbeschränkungen und Homeoffice. Für die Erreichung der klimapolitischen Zielsetzungen, insbesondere des österreichischen Ziels der Klimaneutralität bis 2040, ist daher eine konsequente Umsetzung von Maßnahmen erforderlich, die zu einer nachhaltigen Reduktion der Treibhausgasemissionen führen.