The Western Climate Initiative has unveiled a draft proposal for a regional cap-and-trade program that would kick off in 2012. The 11 states and provinces involved -- Arizona, British Columbia, California, Manitoba, Montana, New Mexico, Ontario, Oregon, Quebec, Utah, and Washington -- would impose an as-yet-determined greenhouse-gas emissions limit on industries and utilities, then allow laggards to purchase carbon credits from those that cleaned up their acts. States and provinces would decide individually whether to freely hand out credits or to auction them. Reactions to the draft proposal were mixed; industries craved more detail, while environmentalists expressed concern that companies would be allowed to offset up to 10 percent of their emissions and that transportation and heating fuels would not be regulated until 2015. After a period of public comment, the final proposal is due in September; state and provincial governments will have to OK the plans before they become official.
West Foot Forward
Western states unveil draft cap-and-trade scheme 3
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Posted 12:53 PM on 24 Jul 2008
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Gustavion Posted 7:38 am
24 Jul 2008
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F James Handley Posted 3:45 am
27 Jul 2008
Sadly, cap-and-trade is decidedly a second-best policy that hasn't acheived any net reductions in the EU after five years of struggle. A wide range of economists and the Congressional Budget Office conclude that a carbon tax would be at least FIVE times as cost effective as a fixed cap at reducing GHG emissions.
Why? Because rising price signals distribute the cost of reductions across the economy and over time. Quantity controls (caps) create artificial scarcity and force costly short-term reductions. Trading mostly enriches traders.)
British Columbia leads the way with a revenue-neutral carbon tax. BC "primed the pump" by distributing carbon tax dividends to citizens before the tax took effect. Savvy and effective. Canada's (centrist) Liberal Party leader Stephan Dion is championing a national "green shift" whose key element is a revenue-neutral carbon tax.
But here in the US, the subject of carbon taxes remains decidedly on the political sideline (even while it's mainstream economics).
The Carbon Tax Center (http://www.carbontax.org) is dedicated to informing citizens and policy-makers about the advantages of a carbon tax.
The dire consequences of global warming demand the most effective policy. Let's get our best player -- carbon taxes -- off the sideline and onto the political playing field.
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samuntha Posted 10:25 am
31 Aug 2008
First we need to clean up Phoenix air quality by stopping the liberal use of pesticides everywhere. Homes, offices and especially agriculture. Cotton is one of the worst polluters in AZ.
There are no safeguards. Women and children are exposed daily to toxins and they're worried about carbon? Stop pesticide use especially in building construction and agriculture and you'll see a reduction in carbon emissions.
It's that simple.
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