The climate money (Klimageld) is meant to return part of the revenue from the CO2 price to people. Anyone expecting a payment in 2027 should know that, in the documents reviewed, the status goes only so far beyond announcements and motions. This guide shows what official documents on the climate money establish, which questions remain open and how you can check the current position yourself.
Short answer: According to a motion by the Free State of Thuringia submitted to the Bundesrat on 4 June 2026, a nationwide climate money is planned as part of the coalition agreement. The motion names neither a start date nor an amount. A law with payment rules is not documented in the sources reviewed. Last updated: November 2026.
The most important points
- On 4 June 2026 the Free State of Thuringia proposed a resolution in the Bundesrat, which was scheduled for the session on 12 June 2026.
- The motion explicitly names a nationwide climate money as a project provided for in the coalition agreement.
- The motion asks the federal government to create the legal basis for a climate money staggered by social criteria.
- A start date and a payment amount do not appear in this document.
- Anyone waiting for money should rely on official sources and the promulgation status, not headlines or offers that promise payment.
What is the climate money in the first place?
The climate money is designed as a redistribution. The idea is that revenue from the CO2 price flows back to citizens, so that the burden of the price on heating and fuel is cushioned socially. The Thuringian motion says the CO2 pricing should be compensated in the long run by measures, above all the introduction of a nationwide climate money, as provided for in the coalition agreement.
The term therefore first describes a political goal and not a finished benefit with an application, a notice and a payment route. How payment is organised must still be set by law. That is exactly what the Bundesrat motion demands: the federal government should create the legal basis for introduction and payment.
What is documented and what is open?
The following overview separates what the documents reviewed state from what they expressly leave out. That helps when a figure circulates in the media again and you need to judge it.
| Point | Status according to the source | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coalition project | Climate money provided for in the coalition agreement (per motion, Drucksache 347/26) | Political commitment, not a law |
| Social staggering | Motion calls for a climate money staggered by social criteria | Demand to the federal government |
| Procedure | Motion calls for a low-bureaucracy, digitally accessible and socially fair payment procedure | Design still open |
| Start date | Not stated | Not documented |
| Amount | Not stated | Not documented |
The table shows that central points are missing from the motion. Without a start date and an amount, no reliable calculation for 2027 is possible. Anyone who still reads figures should check whether they come from a law text, a parliamentary paper or a government statement.
How do you check the current status yourself?
The safest route leads to the official documents. Bundesrat and Bundestag papers are publicly accessible. A law becomes valid only with its promulgation in the Federal Law Gazette. Until then, any amount named in the media is an announcement or an assumption and should be labelled accordingly.
Also pay attention to the date. A motion from June 2026 describes the position of that month, not the current state of negotiations. If you read an older article announcing a payment next year, check whether newer documents have overtaken it.
Why is the start date so hard to name?
A climate money needs several building blocks: a legal basis, rules for social staggering, a payment procedure and funding from CO2 price revenue. Each of these can take time in the legislative process. The motion from the Free State of Thuringia shows that these building blocks are not yet fully described.
For students and tenants this means that the climate money can enter a household budget once it is legally fixed. Until then it should not count as a secure income.
Frequently asked questions about the climate money 2027
Will I receive a climate money in 2027?
According to the sources reviewed, this is not documented. A nationwide climate money is described as a project, and a start date is missing. If you want to name a date, you need an official basis. Without one, any statement is a guess.
How high would the climate money be?
The motion does not name an amount. Sums also circulate in the media again and again. Anyone looking for a figure should check whether it is tied to a law text. If it is not, the figure should be treated as an assumption or estimate.
Would the climate money be the same for everyone?
The motion demands a payment staggered by social criteria. Whether and how this is implemented is not set in the motion. A statement about who would receive which share is therefore not possible.
Do I have to apply for it?
This is also open. Whether an application is needed or the payment runs automatically using administrative data is for the future law to decide. The motion from the Free State does, however, call for a low-bureaucracy and digitally accessible procedure.
Is the climate money the same as the CO2 price?
No. The CO2 price is the charge on fuels that raises the price of heating and fuel. The climate money would be a compensation that returns the revenue to citizens. The two are linked but are legally separate topics. Our overview of the price is in the guide on the CO2 price 2027.
What you should do now
- Bookmark the official documents of the Bundesrat and the Bundestag, so that you find changes to the status faster.
- Check reports on the climate money for their date and whether they refer to a law text, a parliamentary paper or a government statement.
- Plan for 2027 without a climate money and treat a later payment as a possible supplement, not as a firm income.
- Be wary of offers that promise a payment in return for a fee, personal data or advance payment.
What a possible climate money would mean for students and tenants
For students, a climate money matters mainly if they heat their own flat and pay fuel costs directly. Anyone living in a student residence or billed through an all-inclusive rent often feels the CO2 price only indirectly. Whether and how a payment would reach you depends on a future rule that has not yet been adopted.
For tenants, the open question is whether payments would go to households or to individuals, and what role the housing situation would play. The motion gives no details on this. The guide on the building modernisation act (in German) explains how CO2 costs are shared in tenancies and which parts are already settled.
Related guides
- Climate, energy and living costs 2027: the overview for tenants and students (hub for this topic)
- CO2 price 2027: what the price corridor means for heating and fuel
- Building modernisation act: what changes for tenants when heating
- Reducing heating costs: what tenants can do without renovation
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
