Global Carbon Tax?

[Industrious1]

Realistic?

 

 

 

Trudeau calls for global carbon tax at COP26 summit

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'Putting a price on pollution is the most efficient and powerful way to keep 1.5 C alive,' Trudeau says

 

John Paul Tasker · CBC News · Posted: Nov 02, 2021 10:53 AM ET | Last Updated: 27 minutes ago

 

 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau news conference in Glasgow, Scotland

35 minutes ago

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds news conference after attending COP26 news conference in Glasgow, Scotland 0:00

 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged all countries to agree to some sort of global price on carbon, a measure he says will dramatically curb the use of fossil fuels and level the playing field for countries like Canada that already impose a levy on emissions.

Speaking at a panel discussion organized by Canada on the sidelines of the COP26 summit in Glasgow, Scotland, Trudeau said his government fought hard to impose its carbon tax policy over the opposition of political opponents in Canada, and now he wants to take that fight to the global stage.

 

An international movement for some sort of "standard around putting a price on pollution" could make it more politically palatable in other countries where there's also entrenched opposition to aggressive climate measures, Trudeau said.

If countries are forced to adopt a price, it could make it an easier sell to citizens concerned about the resulting higher cost of living.

"It's always been hard to do this. We know citizens want more action on climate, but are always worried that they're going to be the ones paying for the brunt of it," Trudeau said.

• Canada will put a cap on oil and gas sector emissions, Trudeau tells COP26 summit

Creating a global standard

The prime minister said Canada's federal carbon tax regime — where a tax is levied on fuels like gas, light fuel oil for home heating, natural gas and propane, and most of the money is collected and rebated at tax time — could serve as a model for other countries contemplating more aggressive climate action through a pricing regime.

"One of the things we all know needs to come out of COP26 is a clearer call to create a global standard around putting a price on pollution. Not only will that encourage innovation, it will give that clear price signal to the private sector that making the right capital investments to transform to lower emissions makes sense. It also ensures that those who are leading on pricing pollution don't get unfairly penalized," Trudeau said.

The prime minister said fewer than 20 per cent of global emissions are currently covered by a carbon tax, and he wants to see that figure tripled by the end of this decade.

"We know it — leaders know it. Scientists know it and the private sector knows it: putting a price on pollution is the most efficient and powerful way to keep 1.5 alive," he said, referring to the push to keep global temperature increases to 1.5 C to stave off the worst effects of climate change.

Decoupling growth from GHG emissions

Trudeau assembled a number of international heavy-hitters at the carbon tax panel discussion on Tuesday, including Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director general of the World Trade Organization; and Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission.

 

Von der Leyen, the senior-most leader of the European Union, praised Canada's leadership on the carbon tax file, saying it follows the EU's emissions trading system, a cap-and-trade system that was first imposed on some industries on the continent in 2005. She also stood behind Trudeau's call for some sort of carbon-pricing regime that applies to the global economy.

 

"It's been proven — it helped us decouple growth from greenhouse gas emissions. So, you can prosper while cutting emissions," she said, while touting the reductions seen across the power industry in Europe, where carbon emissions are down some 45 per cent since the trading system was first implemented.

"If we [lived] in a perfect world, I would love to have a global price on carbon for everybody and everything," she said.

 

Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said if the world doesn't press ahead with some sort of standard carbon-pricing program, Canada would consider levying a border adjustment mechanism, which would impose taxes on products from countries that don't have robust climate plans.

"If it's the only thing we can do to ensure global emissions are being reduced, then we may have to do it," he said, while adding his preference is for a global carbon tax, because it will be easier to implement.

 

A mix of competing border adjustment taxes would complicate global trade, Guilbeault conceded, but it may be necessary to send the signal to climate laggards that cost-free pollution will not be tolerated by Canada and like-minded countries.

[Wolfgang Durst]

with effect from January 1, 2021 german authorities levied a carbon dioxide tax on fuels like gas, light fuel oil for home heating and natural gas. Prices for fuel increased significantly from 1.40 Euro / liter fuel to 1,70 Euro / liter fuel.  Using the car to drive to work on a regular basis is becoming more and more expensive. It's not only the price for fuel which increased but also the gas for heating went up quite a bit. We see a fundamental shift towards emission free production of goods and emission free car driving with electric cars.

 

[Tortorella's Rant]

It worked so well domestically, lets make it global!

 

More thievery. But when you paint it with the brush of the "greater good," you'll get enough idiots to go along with it. 

 

 

[Ghostsof1915]

I doubt it. If paying a tax to be a part of the UN, I'm pretty sure the UN would fold like a house of cards. 

So what if your country doesn't agree to the tax? 

What if the US and/or China says no? 

 

 

 

 

[CR7]

I'd like to see the research that shows how well this carbon tax actually worked for big polluters. Not during the economic down swing caused by covid, inflated, well I guess deflated the carbon output number...  

[RUPERTKBD]

From what I've read on Carbon taxes (and I've read a fair amount) the consensus seems to be that Carbon taxes are effective in limiting emissions, but not as much as advocates would like us to believe and not nearly enough to be the solution on it's own.

 

I've read several reports that suggest studies in Scandanavia show positive results, but virtually all of them say that there isn't nearly enough research being done on their efficacy to make the case that they are the "fix" for the Climate crisis....

 

That being said, the research that I've seen does not support the claims from the other side that Carbon Taxes are "ineffective". The consensus seems to be that they are a tool in the fight against Climate Change, but they need to be used in conjunction with other methods of reduction if we are to meet our goals.

[Fanuck]

19 minutes ago, RUPERTKBD said:

From what I've read on Carbon taxes (and I've read a fair amount) the consensus seems to be that Carbon taxes are effective in limiting emissions, but not as much as advocates would like us to believe and not nearly enough to be the solution on it's own.

 

I've read several reports that suggest studies in Scandanavia show positive results, but virtually all of them say that there isn't nearly enough research being done on their efficacy to make the case that they are the "fix" for the Climate crisis....

 

That being said, the research that I've seen does not support the claims from the other side that Carbon Taxes are "ineffective". The consensus seems to be that they are a tool in the fight against Climate Change, but they need to be used in conjunction with other methods of reduction if we are to meet our goals.

 

So what you're saying is that the research, needs more, ummm, research:)?

[RUPERTKBD]

On 11/2/2021 at 12:28 PM, Fanuck said:

 

So what you're saying is that the research, needs more, ummm, research:)?

Yep. But what does exist suggests that the Carbon tax has some positive effect, just not as much as we might hope.I think the gist is that it works better in some places than others and the jury is out on whether it would be effective with the biggest emitters, like India, China and the US.

 

All of that aside, I think most people would agree that moving away from burning coal, oil and Natural Gas for electricity is something we should try do. I think it's these three instances that should be the focus of a carbon tax. The problem is, how do you justify charging a low income family in West Virginia more for their electricity, just because their political leaders are balking at transitioning away from those "cash cow" sources of revenue.

 

I don't think there's a simple answer either way, which is why my original post tried to show that there is no black and white "Carbon taxes work / don't work" answer.

Edited December 16, 2021 by RUPERTKBD

[Heretic]

LOLOLOLOLOL!

Let me guess, Trudeau is going to collect it on behalf of the world - for a "small" fee!

 

Why the heck did people vote for this guy?  

 

(I know - not much choice - but come on, Trudeau is an idiot, couldn't even run a Drama class and here he is "running" the country)

[JM_]

1 hour ago, RUPERTKBD said:

From what I've read on Carbon taxes (and I've read a fair amount) the consensus seems to be that Carbon taxes are effective in limiting emissions, but not as much as advocates would like us to believe and not nearly enough to be the solution on it's own.

 

I've read several reports that suggest studies in Scandanavia show positive results, but virtually all of them say that there isn't nearly enough research being done on their efficacy to make the case that they are the "fix" for the Climate crisis....

 

That being said, the research that I've seen does not support the claims from the other side that Carbon Taxes are "ineffective". The consensus seems to be that they are a tool in the fight against Climate Change, but they need to be used in conjunction with other methods of reduction if we are to meet our goals.

like all of this stuff, taxation is easy but where's the representation. If it just goes to line pockets somewhere... 

 

I like the idea of each country committing to a carbon tax, and leave it up to local jurisdictions to implement. 

[RUPERTKBD]

8 minutes ago, JM_ said:

like all of this stuff, taxation is easy but where's the representation. If it just goes to line pockets somewhere... 

 

I like the idea of each country committing to a carbon tax, and leave it up to local jurisdictions to implement. 

I think if there was a mechanism whereby monies collected through the tax would be put towards greener energy projects, the tax would be more palatable.

 

As it stands, I know of no such provision. AFAIK taxes collected go into general revenue and the focus is on making people pay more so they use less....

[BoKnows]

 

[Ballisticsports.]

I had written politicians asking why do you let business close here because they can circumvent pollution laws and move overseas ,while charging Carbon Tax on Cdns on purchases here?

Why not charge countries who are exporting  products to Canada that have no approved carbon emissions factory a Carbon tax?

 

Pollution does not just stay in the country of manufacturing

[VancouverHabitant]

28 minutes ago, ba;;isticsports said:

I had written politicians asking why do you let business close here because they can circumvent pollution laws and move overseas ,while charging Carbon Tax on Cdns on purchases here?

Why not charge countries who are exporting  products to Canada that have no approved carbon emissions factory a Carbon tax?

 

Pollution does not just stay in the country of manufacturing

I do believe that taxing on the end point of sale would be more effective.  

 

Whenever this subject is brought up, I always think that it's easy for Canada to say that we should implement these strict environmental laws and very unrealistic to expect the less developed countries to follow suit.  

[JM_]

59 minutes ago, RUPERTKBD said:

I think if there was a mechanism whereby monies collected through the tax would be put towards greener energy projects, the tax would be more palatable.

 

As it stands, I know of no such provision. AFAIK taxes collected go into general revenue and the focus is on making people pay more so they use less....

funny how Trudeau forgets about the other 1/2 of that tax idea  

[RUPERTKBD]

4 minutes ago, JM_ said:

funny how Trudeau forgets about the other 1/2 of that tax idea  

It is.....and I think it's weird....

 

It seems as if JT is resisting such a commitment in order to pander to the prairie provinces, who will never vote for him anyway. Meanwhile a commitment by the Liberals to use Carbon Tax revenue for Green Energy production would likely chip away at NDP and Green support.

[Russ]

https://globalnews.ca/news/5145773/catherine-mckenna-loblaw-new-fridges/

Ah yes so more corporations can get millions for new fridges.....  Good thing tax payers funded Loblaws fridges with our climate taxes.....

 

I am sure China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabi, etc. are all crunching at the bit to install carbon taxes...

Edited November 2, 2021 by Russ

[bishopshodan]

Was watching Bill Maher the other day.

 

He was saying the states should do it. 

Edited November 2, 2021 by bishopshodan

[JM_]

25 minutes ago, RUPERTKBD said:

It is.....and I think it's weird....

 

It seems as if JT is resisting such a commitment in order to pander to the prairie provinces, who will never vote for him anyway. Meanwhile a commitment by the Liberals to use Carbon Tax revenue for Green Energy production would likely chip away at NDP and Green support.

I was pretty surprised when there was no major green initiative presented for the election... maybe they are waiting for the next one? dunno.

[RUPERTKBD]

1 minute ago, JM_ said:

I was pretty surprised when there was no major green initiative presented for the election... maybe they are waiting for the next one? dunno.

It's a tough one to figure out. What was the strategy?

 

It kind of looked like they were trying to be everything to everybody, instead of really concentrating on areas where they could expect support from voters who might not otherwise support them.

 

I think he figured that his Covid response would be enough to get him a majority and the rest of the thinking went out the window. A serious miscalculation that would likely have cost him the election if the Cons had a legitimate candidate to run against him.