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KeithMEL1985
Founding SQTalker
UK travellers to pick up tab for climate change « Thread started on: Oct 30th, 2006, 07:33am »
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/britain-plans-to-go-green-on-taxes/2006/10/29/1162056867311.html
Quote: Britain plans to go green on taxes
James Button
October 30, 2006
THE British Government is considering a host of new green taxes to fight climate change, as a comprehensive economic report warns that global warming could cost the world $A9 trillion if it is not tackled in the next 10 to 15 years.
A leaked letter from Environment Secretary David Miliband to Chancellor Gordon Brown proposes dramatic changes to Britain's tax system, including charges on gas-guzzling cars, roads, airline travel and landfill, and an exemption on stamp duty for zero carbon homes.
The letter, written on October 18 and obtained by The Mail on Sunday, comes as the Stern report, published today, warns that failure to act could trigger the worst global recession since the Great Depression and create up to 200 million refugees.
The 700-page Treasury report by former chief World Bank economist Sir Nicholas Stern also warns that a replacement to the Kyoto Protocol on cutting greenhouse gas emissions should be signed next year, not by 2010 or 2011 as planned, according to The Observer newspaper.
The report plus the leaked letter demonstrate the growing intensity of the climate change debate in Britain.
The Tories have joined green groups in pushing for annual emissions targets and have set up a website, How Green is Your Car?, with an environmental rating of every new car sold in Britain.
Mr Miliband's letter said that a "substantial increase" in excise duty for the highest-emitting vehicles and a switch to road-user pricing would "maintain pressure on the cost of motoring" and encourage a shift from private to public transport.
Aviation was the fastest-growing source of British greenhouse gas emissions, rising from 5 per cent of emissions now to potentially 25 per cent of emissions by 2030, Mr Miliband said.
He proposed adding £5 ($A12.3) to air passenger duty (now £10 for flights to Europe, £40 elsewhere) and reconsidering making flights subject to value added tax.
The £400 million raised from extra air passenger duty could be used to buy carbon offsets (tree-planting and other carbon reduction programs), Mr Miliband said.
He also argued that "too often the prices of products on retailers' shelves do not always reflect the environmental costs they impose while consumers do not always purchase … energy-efficient goods. There is a strong case for us to address this market failure." http://207.44.144.11/boardimages/ip.gif Logged Last song stuck in my head: 'California' (Phantom Planet).
MANFlyer
Founding SQTalker
Re: UK travellers to pick up tab for climate chang « Reply #1 on: Oct 30th, 2006, 3:36pm »
This Government intends to introduce more taxes ?. What a shock...
« Last Edit: Oct 30th, 2006, 3:38pm by MANFlyer »
MANFlyer
Founding SQTalker
Re: UK travellers to pick up tab for climate chang « Reply #2 on: Oct 30th, 2006, 3:37pm »
Ooops....
« Last Edit: Oct 30th, 2006, 3:37pm by MANFlyer »
Founding SQTalker
UK travellers to pick up tab for climate change « Thread started on: Oct 30th, 2006, 07:33am »
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/britain-plans-to-go-green-on-taxes/2006/10/29/1162056867311.html
Quote: Britain plans to go green on taxes
James Button
October 30, 2006
THE British Government is considering a host of new green taxes to fight climate change, as a comprehensive economic report warns that global warming could cost the world $A9 trillion if it is not tackled in the next 10 to 15 years.
A leaked letter from Environment Secretary David Miliband to Chancellor Gordon Brown proposes dramatic changes to Britain's tax system, including charges on gas-guzzling cars, roads, airline travel and landfill, and an exemption on stamp duty for zero carbon homes.
The letter, written on October 18 and obtained by The Mail on Sunday, comes as the Stern report, published today, warns that failure to act could trigger the worst global recession since the Great Depression and create up to 200 million refugees.
The 700-page Treasury report by former chief World Bank economist Sir Nicholas Stern also warns that a replacement to the Kyoto Protocol on cutting greenhouse gas emissions should be signed next year, not by 2010 or 2011 as planned, according to The Observer newspaper.
The report plus the leaked letter demonstrate the growing intensity of the climate change debate in Britain.
The Tories have joined green groups in pushing for annual emissions targets and have set up a website, How Green is Your Car?, with an environmental rating of every new car sold in Britain.
Mr Miliband's letter said that a "substantial increase" in excise duty for the highest-emitting vehicles and a switch to road-user pricing would "maintain pressure on the cost of motoring" and encourage a shift from private to public transport.
Aviation was the fastest-growing source of British greenhouse gas emissions, rising from 5 per cent of emissions now to potentially 25 per cent of emissions by 2030, Mr Miliband said.
He proposed adding £5 ($A12.3) to air passenger duty (now £10 for flights to Europe, £40 elsewhere) and reconsidering making flights subject to value added tax.
The £400 million raised from extra air passenger duty could be used to buy carbon offsets (tree-planting and other carbon reduction programs), Mr Miliband said.
He also argued that "too often the prices of products on retailers' shelves do not always reflect the environmental costs they impose while consumers do not always purchase … energy-efficient goods. There is a strong case for us to address this market failure." http://207.44.144.11/boardimages/ip.gif Logged Last song stuck in my head: 'California' (Phantom Planet).
MANFlyer
Founding SQTalker
Re: UK travellers to pick up tab for climate chang « Reply #1 on: Oct 30th, 2006, 3:36pm »
This Government intends to introduce more taxes ?. What a shock...
« Last Edit: Oct 30th, 2006, 3:38pm by MANFlyer »
MANFlyer
Founding SQTalker
Re: UK travellers to pick up tab for climate chang « Reply #2 on: Oct 30th, 2006, 3:37pm »
Ooops....
« Last Edit: Oct 30th, 2006, 3:37pm by MANFlyer »