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GLOBAL TIMES, CHINA – 23/07/2010
This article in China’s Global Times highlights the confirmation by the deputy head of China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection that ministries are collaborating on an environmental tax, and it is expected that some local governments in Hubei, Beijing and Jiangxi will pilot this policy instrument soon. It does, however, question whether the so-called double dividend of a carbon tax would be realised in China, highlighting that China lacks the necessary quantitative and economically optimised design of taxation, and the pressure to create one. China does already have a number of pollutant charges, but these are not considered effective in curbing environmentally damaging activities, and are often mired by close ties between powerful polluting companies and local government, who are charged with enforcement. Read the article…
THE AUSTRALIAN – 09/07/2010
Green campaign groups are urging Australia’s new Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, to commit to plans to introduce either a carbon tax or emissions trading scheme in order to ‘limit and put a price tag on pollution’. The Prime Minister has indicated a preference for market-based mechanisms over a carbon tax but confirmed that her government would not move on the ETS during the life of the next parliament, instead choosing to stick to the timetable outlined by former Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd. Read the article…
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD – 02/07/2010
Indian Environment Minister, Jairam Ramesh, has highlighted that the newly introduced levy on coal producers in India could raise 25 billion rupees ($633 million) in its first year, and presented it as the ‘first step to introduce a carbon tax’. Mr Ramesh commends India as leading the way with a domestic carbon tax, whilst others – including the European Union, South Korea and Japan – are still debating it. Coal will be taxed at 50 rupees per tonne with the aim of using the revenue to fund clean-energy projects. Read the article…
Similarly, The Times of India highlights Mumbai’s plans to levy a green tax for proposals requiring environmental clearance. According to an official from the state department, ‘the decision has been prompted by the fact that the proponents of such projects need to be charged to subsidise the cost that has to be incurred on conserving the environment that is under serious threat due to increase in developmental activity’. For example, the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) has decided to charge project proponents a one-time cost for the creation of the Coast Conservation Fund. Read the article…
THE GUARDIAN – 22/06/2010
George Osborne’s budget speech has been met with disappointment and criticisms by green campaigners regarding its lack of environmental policies. Whilst plans to introduce a floor price for carbon pollution permits and to reform company car tax were reiterated, there was no mention of the green investment bank, renewable energy or financial incentives for individuals to make their homes more energy efficient. The budget did highlight support for a Green New Deal for householders but provided no further details. Read the article…
A summary of the key budget announcements for energy and climate change indicates that plans to reform the UK climate change levy will be discussed in the autumn, with the aim of providing greater certainty to businesses about the price for carbon. It also highlights plans to explore options for the design of a fair fuel stabiliser, to consider the case for introducing a fuel duty discount in remote rural areas, and to examine the potential implications of changes to the aviation tax system.
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE – 22/06/2010
This article highlights plans by the US Senate to propose climate change legislation that would put a price on carbon and thereby ‘remind drivers that the true cost of gassing up includes millions of gallons of crude drenching the Gulf of Mexico’. UC Berkeley Professor Robert Reich suggested there may be greater receptivity to putting a price on carbon since the oil spill but highlights that ‘anything that’s called a tax doesn’t stand a chance’ with most Americans. Instead Congress is considering cap-and-trade systems for carbon emissions that they believe will do the same thing as a carbon tax. Read the article…
THE TELEGRAPH – 06/06/2010
This article discusses the new Coalition Government’s plans to abandon the pay-as-you-throw rubbish schemes proposed by the previous Labour government. They are instead looking to encourage recycling through measures such as cuts in council tax bills or giving shopping vouchers to residents who meet recycling targets. Read the article…
The publication of the new Coalition’s Programme for Government highlights three proposals in relation to environmental taxation:
- ‘We will reform the taxation of air travel by switching from a per-passenger to a per-plane duty, and will ensure that a proportion of any increased revenues over time will be used to help fund increases in the personal allowance’.
- ‘We will increase the proportion of tax revenue accounted for by environmental taxes’.
- ‘We will work towards the introduction of a new system of HGV road user charging to ensure a fairer arrangement for UK hauliers’.
The suggestion to replace Air Passenger Duty with a per-plane tax raises number of important considerations which will be explored further in a forthcoming PSI Briefing Paper on the issue.
Read ‘The Coalition: Our Programme for Government’ report…
BUSINESS GREEN – 01/06/2010
Draft documents seen by Reuters suggest that the European Commission may be due to propose significant changes to energy taxation policy, revolving around a single pan-European energy tax system. It is suggested that a minimum level of taxation would be imposed for energy sources ranging from coal to biofuels to renewables, the value of which would be based on the energy content and carbon footprint of the fuels. It is hoped such a measure would create new incentives for investment in low carbon energy sources. Also included in the draft documents are plans to ensure that carbon intensive industries are protected, and that support is provided to vulnerable households to minimise the risk of adverse distributional impacts. Read the article…
THE TIMES – 10/05/2010
This article highlights opposition amongst consumer watchdogs and business groups against proposals to introduce a renewable heat incentive in April 2011. Concerns have been raised that such an incentive will lead to sharp rises in energy bills, only benefiting those who can afford to install renewable heating devices such as biomass boilers, solar-thermal water heaters or ground-source heat pumps. It has been suggested that this initiative will cost consumers twice as much as the existing mechanism for subsidising renewable energy, potentially raising domestic energy bills by 9-21%. Read the article…
IRISH TIMES – 01/05/2010
The Irish carbon tax on domestic heating oil has been implemented, applying to kerosene, natural gas, marked gas oil, liquid petroleum gas and fuel oil. Despite criticisms from business, farming groups and groups campaigning for the elderly, the Irish Government has defended the tax arguing that the revenues raised would be used to reduce taxes in other areas. It is proposed that €40 million will be spent on insulating social housing this year, and a further €90 million allocated to the national home retrofit programme. Read the article…
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