Austria to introduce new carbon tax from mid-2022

BERLIN (AP) — The Austrian government says it will introduce a new carbon tax from July 1, 2022, and will return that money to residents in the form of a “climate bonus.” Starting next year, Austrians will have to pay almost $35 per ton of CO2 — a cost that’s likely to be added to consumer bills by companies. Each resident in Austria will get an annual reimbursement with the exact amount determined by where they live to ensure those in rural regions without good public transport don’t lose out. The goal is to encourage people to opt for climate-friendly forms of transportation and heating by making carbon-intensive choices more expensive, without adding to the overall tax burden.