Carbon Cap-and-Trade
Create a carbon capping scheme where carbon is taxed at the point of production, and the proceeds used to protect the carbon-poor. The Govt should auction carbon extraction quotas (for coal, oil, gas, timber, and chalk - used in steel production). Imports from non-compliant countries which don't operate the same capping scheme should be charged from the importer's carbon quota. Countries should be allocated quotas according to global CO2 levels and national population, but should be able to trade (so developing countries can sell to developed countries). Abolish fuel duties etc.
-- The result is that all products would be priced according to their real environmental cost, and all countries would be pressured to comply effectively.
Paul Warren
shared this idea
2 comments
-
Paul Warren
commented
@digger Well, people won't be able to make as much CO2 pollution because they won't be able to get hold of the oil, coal, etc. unless they pay for it, and the quota will limit how much is available.
The imports issue is the biggie: foreign producers of CO2 will find their exports are limited unless they impose their own caps. That takes away the money they need to produce the goods, and the CO2.
It will also put a price on fuel for food miles, so it should end the nonsense of catching prawns in UK waters, then exporting them to China for peeling and back, for example.
-
digger
commented
but how would it cut down on pollution?paying for your pollution wont clean the air will it?
