
Please note that the following text is based on a speech delivered at an event. The speaker begins by highlighting the historical significance of Glasgow in terms of economics and its connection to climate change discussions. They reference Adam Smith and his views on market outcomes in relation to climate change. The speaker then delves into the need for investment in transitioning to a greenhouse gas-neutral economy, focusing on the European Union’s targets and the financing required. They discuss the concept of «additional» investment and provide examples to illustrate the types of investments needed. The speaker also compares investment needs between the EU and Germany, emphasizing the importance of additional financing for achieving climate goals. The speech emphasizes the significance of investment in transitioning to a green economy and the importance of understanding the financing required for such a transition. Consequently, the additional financing requirements are smaller and appear manageable. Replacing already mostly depreciated capital stock can help minimize these needs, as opposed to replacing newer capital stock that has not fully depreciated yet, which would result in higher economic and financial costs. This is exemplified by the anecdote of the new heating systems law in Germany.
The key point here is to have a clear and reliable path towards greenhouse gas neutrality to avoid wasteful investments. The potential financing mix for transitioning to a greenhouse gas-neutral economy involves a combination of internal and external sources for households, firms, and the public sector.
In Germany, internal financing, primarily from household savings, and external financing, mainly through bank loans, play significant roles. Debt securities and equity financing also contribute to the mix, with the public sector relying heavily on bonds.
These findings for Germany can be generalized to the EU and the UK due to similar financing structures across regions. However, the division of investment needs across sectors in the EU and the UK may vary, with Germany’s estimates providing a reasonable initial estimate.
In conclusion, the financial system is capable of mobilizing the necessary financing for the transition to a greenhouse gas-neutral economy. Banks may play a larger role in financing climate investments, especially for households, highlighting the importance of a robust banking system in achieving greenhouse gas neutrality. The completion of the European banking union is crucial in this regard. Jedoch müssen wir auch den Zugang zu alternativen Finanzierungsquellen verbessern. Insbesondere Nicht-Finanzunternehmen würden erheblich von einer besseren Finanzierung über den Kapitalmarkt profitieren. Deshalb setzen wir uns bei der Bundesbank für die Schaffung einer europäischen Kapitalmarktunion ein.
Drittens können Gesetzgeber die zusätzlichen Finanzierungsbedarfe minimieren, indem sie sicherstellen, dass der Weg zur Treibhausgasneutralität streng und langfristig geplant wird. Warum? Weil dies Anreize schafft, Investitionen in fossile Brennstofftechnologien zu vermeiden, die möglicherweise nicht vollständig abgeschrieben sind, bevor sie nicht mehr rentabel sind. This marks a crucial step towards achieving full greenhouse gas neutrality in the European Union (EU), pending the passage of necessary legislation. From 2021 to 2030, the European Commission estimates that EU countries must invest over €1.2 trillion annually, which is close to 8% of the EU’s GDP. The private sector is expected to bear the majority of these investments, with an additional investment need of around €480 billion, accounting for approximately 3% of GDP.
The distinction between the investment required and the actual investment, termed the «additional» investment need by the European Commission, provides valuable insights from an accounting perspective. However, from a financing standpoint, a different definition of additional investment is beneficial.
There are two types of investments essential for achieving greenhouse gas neutrality. The first type involves investments that would not occur without the goal of reducing emissions, such as technology for carbon capture and storage. The second type includes investments where greenhouse gas-neutral alternatives replace fossil fuel-based technologies, requiring additional financing.
While specific figures for the EU’s additional financing needs are unavailable, Germany estimates it needs €390 billion annually to reduce emissions by 65% compared to 1990. This amounts to around 11% of GDP, with only 30% of this investment requiring additional financing.
In summary, transitioning to greenhouse gas neutrality demands substantial investment, although many replacements of fossil-based technologies with neutral alternatives result in manageable additional financing needs. By replacing largely depreciated capital stock, the additional financing needs can be minimized, contrasting with replacing newer capital stock that would increase economic and financial costs. A clear path to greenhouse gas neutrality is crucial to avoid wasteful investments and provide confidence for future investments.
Exploring the potential financing mix, households, firms, and the public sector all need to invest in achieving a greenhouse gas-neutral economy using a combination of internal and external sources. Internal financing involves using personal income or profits, while external financing comes from sources like banks or investors. Each entity, whether households, non-financial firms, or the public sector, has a unique financing mix, with firms typically utilizing a more diversified approach involving equity and bank loans. These observations are applicable to the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom (UK), and Germany. The financing mix for the transition to a greenhouse gas-neutral economy involves households covering about one-third of the investment, the public sector around 20 per cent, and firms just under half. Estimates for the future financing structure suggest that bank loans might play a significant role in providing external financing, with debt securities and equity financing also contributing. The findings for Germany can be generalized to the EU and the UK due to comparable financing structures across these regions.
In conclusion, the additional investment required for achieving greenhouse gas neutrality can be met through various financing sources, with banks playing a crucial role, especially for household investments. Legislators can minimize additional financing needs by planning for the long term. The path to greenhouse gas neutrality should be stringent to avoid investments in non-viable fossil fuel technologies. En cambio, en la UE, las empresas no financieras tienen una participación ligeramente mayor en la financiación de capital y una menor participación en préstamos (bancarios) en comparación con Alemania. Todos los datos se basan en flujos financieros promedio de 2018 a 2022.
La Comisión Europea, en el citado informe, estima que, en la UE, el sector público podría representar del 17 al 20 por ciento de la inversión total. Sin embargo, no aclara cómo se dividirá esta inversión entre hogares y empresas. Para el Reino Unido, el Gobierno de Su Majestad (2023), en la Estrategia de Finanzas Verdes de 2023, menciona que la mayor parte de la inversión debe provenir del sector privado. Sin embargo, tampoco proporciona detalles sobre cómo se dividirá esta inversión entre hogares y empresas. The additional investments, as viewed from the European Commission’s accounting perspective, are likely to exceed the additional financing needs. The specific figures for the EU are not available yet, but for Germany, a study suggests that around €390 billion annually will be needed from 2021 to 2030 to achieve a 65% reduction in emissions compared to 1990. This amounts to 11% of GDP. The European Commission estimates that the EU’s investment needs are around 8%, with only about 30% of this requiring additional financing, totaling approximately €120 billion.
The transition to greenhouse gas neutrality requires significant investment, but the replacement of fossil-based technologies with neutral alternatives reduces the additional financing needs. By replacing already depreciated capital stock, the additional financing needs can be minimized. However, replacing relatively new capital stock that has not fully depreciated would increase costs.
The potential financing mix for achieving a greenhouse gas-neutral economy involves a combination of internal and external sources of funding from households, firms, and the public sector. In Germany, households may need to cover about one-third of the investment, the public sector around 20%, and firms just under half. Internal financing, mainly from household savings, and external financing, primarily bank loans, are expected to play significant roles in funding the transition.
The financing structures of households, firms, and governments in the EU and the UK are comparable to those in Germany, making the findings applicable across these regions. However, the sectoral investment needs are less certain and may vary. I am not aware of any studies for the EU or the UK that divide the investment needs across households, firms, and the public sector. Without a better alternative, the findings for Germany may provide a reasonable initial estimate for both the EU and the UK. Can you please rewrite this paragraph for me? Please rewrite this sentence.
QUELLEN