France’s protesters are part of a global backlash against climate-change taxes - The Washington Post - Steven Mufson & James McAuley:
December 4, 2018 - "The single most effective weapon in the fight against climate change is the tax code — imposing costs on those who emit greenhouse gases, economists say. But as French President Emmanuel Macron learned over the past three weeks, implementing such taxes can be politically explosive.
"France delayed for six months [and later abandoned - gd] a plan to raise already steep taxes on diesel fuel by 24 cents a gallon and gasoline by about 12 cents a gallon. Macron [had] argued that the taxes were needed to curb climate change by weaning motorists off petroleum products, but violent demonstrations in the streets of Paris and other French cities forced him to backtrack — at least for now.... It was a setback for the French president, who has been trying to carry the torch of climate action in the wake of the Paris accords....
"Leaders in the United States, Canada, Australia and elsewhere have found their carbon pricing efforts running into fierce opposition....
"In the United States ... energy-related taxes are among the lowest in the developed world.... Bill Clinton proposed a tax on the heat content of fuels as part of his first budget in 1993. Known as the BTU tax, for British thermal unit, it would have raised $70 billion over five years while increasing gasoline prices no more than 7.5 cents a gallon. But Clinton was forced to retreat in the face of a rebellion in his own party.... The state of Washington has also tried — and failed twice — to win support for a carbon tax or carbon 'fee'....
"To be sure, some climate-conscious countries have adopted carbon taxes, including Chile, Spain, Ukraine, Ireland and nations in Scandinavia. [But] Only around 12 percent of global emissions are covered by pricing programs such as taxes ... or permit trading....
"But Canada is about to offer a test case. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has unveiled a 'backstop' carbon tax of $20 a ton ... for the four Canadian provinces that do not already have one. Trudeau was elected partly on a promise of this sort of measure, but it’s costing him more political capital than expected. Conservative premiers oppose the plan, which looks set to become an election issue.
"Trudeau’s policy, however, is designed to withstand criticism. About 90 percent of the revenue from the backstop tax will be paid back to Canadians in the form of annual 'climate action incentive' payments. Because of the progressive tax rates, about 70 percent of Canadians will get back more than they paid....
"The first checks will arrive shortly before Canadian elections."
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/frances-protesters-are-part-of-a-global-backlash-against-climate-change-taxes/2018/12/04/08365882-f723-11e8-863c-9e2f864d47e7_story.html
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December 4, 2018 - "The single most effective weapon in the fight against climate change is the tax code — imposing costs on those who emit greenhouse gases, economists say. But as French President Emmanuel Macron learned over the past three weeks, implementing such taxes can be politically explosive.
"France delayed for six months [and later abandoned - gd] a plan to raise already steep taxes on diesel fuel by 24 cents a gallon and gasoline by about 12 cents a gallon. Macron [had] argued that the taxes were needed to curb climate change by weaning motorists off petroleum products, but violent demonstrations in the streets of Paris and other French cities forced him to backtrack — at least for now.... It was a setback for the French president, who has been trying to carry the torch of climate action in the wake of the Paris accords....
"Leaders in the United States, Canada, Australia and elsewhere have found their carbon pricing efforts running into fierce opposition....
"In the United States ... energy-related taxes are among the lowest in the developed world.... Bill Clinton proposed a tax on the heat content of fuels as part of his first budget in 1993. Known as the BTU tax, for British thermal unit, it would have raised $70 billion over five years while increasing gasoline prices no more than 7.5 cents a gallon. But Clinton was forced to retreat in the face of a rebellion in his own party.... The state of Washington has also tried — and failed twice — to win support for a carbon tax or carbon 'fee'....
"To be sure, some climate-conscious countries have adopted carbon taxes, including Chile, Spain, Ukraine, Ireland and nations in Scandinavia. [But] Only around 12 percent of global emissions are covered by pricing programs such as taxes ... or permit trading....
"But Canada is about to offer a test case. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has unveiled a 'backstop' carbon tax of $20 a ton ... for the four Canadian provinces that do not already have one. Trudeau was elected partly on a promise of this sort of measure, but it’s costing him more political capital than expected. Conservative premiers oppose the plan, which looks set to become an election issue.
"Trudeau’s policy, however, is designed to withstand criticism. About 90 percent of the revenue from the backstop tax will be paid back to Canadians in the form of annual 'climate action incentive' payments. Because of the progressive tax rates, about 70 percent of Canadians will get back more than they paid....
"The first checks will arrive shortly before Canadian elections."
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/frances-protesters-are-part-of-a-global-backlash-against-climate-change-taxes/2018/12/04/08365882-f723-11e8-863c-9e2f864d47e7_story.html
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