Substantial shift to green taxes needed
October 1st 2009 Commenting on the publication of recommendations by the Green Fiscal Commission,Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said:“If we’re going to deliver on tackling climate change and kick-starting a green industrial revolution then Britain needs to see a substantial switch to green taxes.Taxing pollution will raise the money needed to stabilise the country’s finances while driving improvements in energy efficiency, reducing emissions and encouraging investment in the clean technologies we’ll need in future.”
He continued:“Green taxes can be used as an alternative to increasing other taxes, rather than as an excuse to increase taxes overall. If we go down this route then we’ll emerge from the current crisis with new green jobs, engineering innovations and an economy that can compete in the 21st century.”
Since 1997 the proportion of government revenues derived from green taxes has actually fallen. The Stern Review advocated three kinds of policy to reduce CO2 emissions: carbon pricing, technology stimulation and removal of the barriers to behaviour change.A shift to green taxation would deliver all three. More articles from WEE News Desk: | 
