The politics directed by left globalists, above all the Greens, have been crying especially big crocodile tears in recent years, because only a CO2 tax on fuels would counteract the alleged global warming. Apart from the fact that every plant on the planet needs CO2 to thrive and, above all, to produce oxygen, it was “forgotten” in the whole debate that we in Austria have been paying a hefty CO2 tax on fuels since 2011. Apparently the planet could not be “saved” by this. Or is it about something else?
A comment by Willi Huber
High taxes in order to be saved from an invisible danger – this principle is also known from the history books that report on the “dark” Middle Ages. At that time one could deduct such taxes as “indulgences” to the church, but one was spared from hellfire. Hellfire could be proven by scientific consensus among all priests, people who think differently were shown their methodological errors in practical experiments at the stake. Absurd constructs like a CO2 tax follow the same principle. Politicians and their bought media report around the clock on the terrible climate change and the need to stop it with high tax payments. That is why we finally need a CO2 tax on fuels.
ÖVP-Mitterlehner enforced CO2 tax in 2010
What is completely lost in the debate is the fact that such a tax was introduced not so long ago. A little rummaging through Google helps. In 2010 a certain Minister of Economic Affairs, Mitterlehner, announced a gradual increase in the mineral oil tax from 2011 (increase on January 1, 2011). They wanted to squeeze another billion euros from the Austrians. To “save the world”, of course. 10 years later, the world is supposedly still not saved – but the fact that we have all been paying this unfortunate and nonsensical CO2 tax for a long time has apparently been collectively omitted by the propagandists. Who does not want to believe it, that be reading the climate protection report 2012 suggested, who in places deals with exactly this tax and celebrates it as a great achievement:
Increase in the mineral oil tax in 2011
The MöSt was increased on January 1st, 2011 by a so-called “CO2 surcharge” idHv
€ 20 per tonne of CO2 equivalent increased, which corresponds to an increase of 5 cents per liter of diesel and 4 cents per liter of petrol (BMF 2011).
Why has the ÖVP not yet saved the world with one billion CO2?
As always with similar mendacious political projects, taxes were not tied to actual climate measures. You can only guess what happened to the money. Perhaps one should start looking for businesspeople and advisors around the ÖVP in the bubble. There is a chance that much of it will also reach media companies in the form of subsidies of all kinds, so that they humbly advertise the next urgently important political projects that will of course save the world again.
What can be ruled out with certainty is that the money was used as Mitterlehner promised: to lower non-wage labor costs. Over the past few years, we have noticed steadily rising fuel prices – but never falling ancillary wage costs. Whereby, then as now, the question is legitimate: What do non-wage costs have to do with saving the world, which is so terribly threatened by CO2 that half of Africa urgently needs to immigrate into Europe’s social systems? Or, one step further – what do tax increases actually have to do with lowering CO2 emissions? Right: nothing.
Austria now has a CO2 world rescue plan until 2016: through indulgence payments
Here is shown, like the further increase in the price of fuel under the guise of saving the world is planned by 2026. So-called “climate protectors” are still insane, they are demanding even more CO2 taxes. Politicians, the media and climate hysterics do not reveal how citizens who have to pay well over 50% tax can still be described as “free”.
We recently reported on fuel prices in an international comparison: Germany, Austria, Switzerland: Fuel rip-off: We could fill up so cheaply! In Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, a liter of diesel costs 0.07 euros, while the fantasy prices in Austria have a lot to do with the state surcharge of 52% (diesel) and 58% (petrol). In other words: This is also a raid, a redistribution of national wealth in various dubious pockets.
On the occasion of the announcement of the new CO2 tax, the ÖAMTC calculated how high the CO2 taxes for petrol, diesel, heating oil & Co. actually were as of July 1, 2022 and came to the (not incorrect) conclusion that motor vehicle traffic was particularly heavy is taxed: In fact, the CO2 tax for petrol is a whopping 256 euros per ton, for diesel 192 euros / ton, for heating oil 66 euros and for natural gas 63 euros.
