Give the climate the place it deserves, in every decision

CO₂ emissions come at a cost to society. Carbon pricing makes these societal costs visible, allowing you to take them into account in policymaking, investments, purchasing and procurement.

What is carbon pricing? Getting started

On this website, you’ll find everything you need to understand carbon pricing and put it into practice:

From in-depth information to practical steps, methods, tools and experiences shared by other public authorities.

Imagine if every public authority consistently considered CO₂ emissions when making decisions about investments, procurement and policy…

Making climate-friendly choices would become increasingly self-evident and easier.

Together, we can create a society where reducing emissions pays off, where we accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy, and leave a better world for future generations.

Example of a green schoolyard

example of a green cycle path

example of a potential project for carbon pricing

Carbon pricing team at work

What is carbon pricing?

Carbon pricing assigns a monetary value to CO₂ emissions. This makes the costs to society and the environment visible, which would otherwise remain hidden, and it allows you to take them into account when making decisions.

For example, when developing policies, making investments, purchasing goods or procuring services. This way, you consider not only the financial cost of a product, service or investment, but also its impact on the climate and society.

The approach you use depends on what you want to know. Broadly speaking, carbon pricing can help answer two key questions:

1.

What costs do CO₂ emissions cause to society?

You assign a monetary value to CO₂ emissions based on the damage they cause to society. This makes costs visible that would otherwise not be reflected in the price of a decision. You can then take these societal costs into account when developing policies, making investments or conducting a social cost-benefit analysis.

2.

How much does it cost to reduce CO₂ emissions?

Here, the focus does not lie on the damage to society, but on the cost of measures required to prevent emissions. By calculating the cost of reducing CO₂ emissions by one tonne, you can compare different measures and determine where and how to achieve the greatest CO₂ reductions with the resources available.

Find a detailed explanation of the two approaches in this publication >>