Too
little too late. Only the complete collapse of industrial
civilisation might have made a difference. But with 30+positive
feedbacks it's too late.
But
what the heck – why not do something positive?
However, something has to be wrong if right-winger Matthew Hooten agrees with it
Embarrassing for all concerned, but on first glance I think I support @NZGreens #climatechange policy over @NZNationalParty or @nzlabour
Greens
propose carbon tax, tax cut package
The
Green Party wants to introduce a carbon tax to replace the troubled
Emissions Trading Scheme.
TV3,
2
June, 2014
Green
Party co-leader Russel Norman admits that putting a price on carbon
emissions will raise some costs for consumers, but he says that these
will be outweighed by a series of new tax cuts funded by the scheme.
The
new policy was announced today as one of a suite of measures in a
"climate action plan" aimed at getting New Zealand to
carbon neutrality by 2050.
It
sets the price of CO2-equivalent emissions at $25 per tonne for all
sectors except agriculture.
The
dairy industry would also be included in the policy – unlike under
the Emissions Trading Scheme – but its emissions would be priced
lower, at $12.50 per tonne. Forestry will be credited at $12.50 per
tonne.
Households
would be better off, dairy farms 'adversely affected' - report
An
independent analysis carried out by Business and Economic Research
Ltd (BERL) forecast that the carbon tax would likely return an
initial revenue stream of $1.1 billion.
The
Greens plan to pass this revenue back to the public as a "Climate
Tax Cut" in the form of a new income tax-free threshold of
$2000, and a 1 percent cut in the company tax rate.
The
BERL report found that the average household's finances would likely
improve by around 0.6 percent if the policy were implemented, however
the report only took into consideration the three groups of goods and
services most likely to be directly affected by the tax: dairy,
electricity, and fuel.
It
predicted a household's annual costs in these areas would increase by
$101, but this would be offset by an annual increase in after-tax
income of $420 thanks to the cuts.
"We
can reduce our emissions without hurting household budgets.
Households will be on average $319 better off every year under the
Green Party policy,” says Dr Norman.
But
the report also found that dairy farms would be adversely affected by
the policy.
It
forecast that the carbon tax would add around 2 percent to the
working expenses of the average dairy farm – and after taking into
account the company tax rate reduction, it found the policy would
reduce the post-tax profits of the average dairy farm by 12.5
percent.
The
report said, however, that this was not enough to put dairy farms at
a loss.
"At
the currently projected pay-out for milk solids, even dairy farms in
the lowest decile would remain well above breakeven in the face of an
emissions levy."
Federated
Farmers chief executive Conor English says he opposes the inclusion
of the farming sector in the scheme.
"They
shouldn't be trying to tax farmers. It's not going to change the
weather, and it is going to put farmers under financial pressure,"
he says.
Climate
Change Minister Tim Groser, meanwhile, says the Greens' policy goes
further than he expected.
"It's
much more extreme than I had thought. And this relentless attack on
New Zealand dairying, I just can't get it because this is 24 percent
of our export income," he says.
National
doing 'virtually nothing' on emissions – Norman
Dr
Norman says climate change is "the most challenging issue of our
time", but that under the current Government's policies, New
Zealand's net emissions will continue to increase.
"On
a per person basis, New Zealand now produces twice the amount of
greenhouse gases as China, and eight times that of India. We are the
fifth highest per-person emitters in the developed world," he
says.
"National's
policies mean New Zealand's net emissions are set to go up by 50
percent in the next 10 years, putting us on track to be the worst
performing developed country under the UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change."
3
News
Green Party launches carbon tax plans
Climate change is expected to become a pivotal election issue, following a carbon tax policy announced today.
2
June, 2014
The
Green Party, if elected to form a government, wants to scrap the
emissions trading scheme and impose a carbon tax on all sectors,
excluding agriculture.
Forest
and Bird advocacy manager Kevin Hackwell says we're currently paying
the polluters by giving them huge subsidies to carry on polluting,
and this needs to stop.
"This
is one of the issues facing the world at the moment.
"It's
particularly important for biodiversity here in New Zealand.
"We've
already seen the impacts of it, we need to deal with it, so having a
debate about that policy is an important thing for this election."
Greens
carbon policy
The
Greens are billing their new carbon policy as the biggest tax cut
kiwis will be offered this election.
Co-leader
Russel Norman’s announced a plan to scrap the emissions trading
scheme and replace it with a carbon tax on industry.
He
says every dollar raised will be redistributed, by making the first
$2000 of income tax-free for individuals, and cutting the company tax
rate by one percent.
"Why
can't we cut income tax rates and cut the company tax rate by
introducing a charge on pollution instead of subsidising pollution?"
Forest
and Bird welcomes scheme
An
alternative to the emissions trading scheme is being welcomed by
Forest and Bird.
As
an election promise, the Green Party's proposed abandoning the
emissions trading scheme in favour of a carbon tax policy.
Forest
and Bird advocacy manager Kevin Hackwell says the Green Party is
right to be campaigning for an end to subsidies for major greenhouse
gas polluters.
"The
climate change policy in New Zealand is not working.
"our
emissions trading scheme isn't working so we should have a debate
about how we deal with climate change."
Lucy
Lawless applauds policy
The
Greens are harnessing starpower to push their new carbon tax policy -
flying actress Lucy Lawless to the Hutt Valley from Auckland for
their AGM today.
The
Xena: Warrior Princess star is a passionate climate activist, but not
a Green Party member.
However,
she applauded the policy - which would see dairy farmers made to pay
their share, alongside most other big emitters - with the money going
to tax cuts for individuals and companies.
Lucy
Lawless says she'd like to see National and Labour come up with
innovative ideas to tackle carbon emissions.
Proposal
faces criticism
Criticism
is being fired at the Green Party's move to impose a carbon tax
policy, with the farming sector calling it a political stunt.
Green
Party co-leader Russel Norman has announced its plan to scrap the
emissions trading scheme, and bring in a carbon tax.
All
sectors – except agriculture – will be made to pay $25 per tonne
of CO2 emissions, while dairy emissions will cost just half that.
Straterra
CEO Chris Baker says it makes no sense to get rid of such a
sophisticated scheme.
"While
we accept the carbon price is low, it's available and able to be
increased in terms of its impact on the economy as international
conditions dictate and allow."
Federated
Farmers vice president William Rolleston says while it does recognise
New Zealand farms are the most carbon efficient in the world, it's
foolish to penalise the dairy sector.
He
says dairy farmers are also the most carbon efficient, so in this
case, he wonders whether politics has trumped science.
Mr
Rolleston says beef and sheep farmers have been excluded, and so
should dairy farmers.
"The
logic is that New Zealand farmers are the most efficient protein
producers in the world and penalising them would only drive emissions
offshore.
"That
applies to sheep and beef as well as dairy."
Greens'
carbon tax proposal
Big
carbon emitters will be made to pay a fairer share, and households
will end up with more cash in hand – under a carbon tax, promised
by the Green Party.
But
farmers are set to get off lightly, in the policy announced by
co-leader Russel Norman at the Greens’ AGM this afternoon.
It
includes scrapping the emissions trading scheme, and instead charging
non-agricultural emitters 25 dollars per tonne of carbon.
Dairy
farmers will pay just half that – and sheep, beef and other farmers
are excluded, pending advice from a proposed Climate Commission.
The
revenue would go back to earners, with their first $2000 of income
tax-free, and a one percent tax cut for businesses.
As
expected, Greens co-leader Russel Norman's announced the party will
scrap the emissions trading scheme and instead, bring in the tax - if
it helps form the next Government.
All
sectors - except agriculture - will be made to pay $25 per tonne of
CO2 emissions, while dairy emissions will cost just half that, at
$12.50.
Forestry
will get a credit of $12.50 per tonne of CO2.
Other
agricultural areas, including sheep and beer farming, won't be
included at all - pending advice from a Climate Commission the Greens
also plans to establish.
It
would advise the government on carbon prices, carbon budgets and
"complementary measures" to make New Zealand carbon-neutral
by 2050.
All
of the revenue from the carbon tax will be returned - with
individuals getting a "climate tax cut", with their first
$2000 of income tax-free.
The
Greens say households will be an average of $319 better off a year.
There'll
also be a one percent tax cut for businesses.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.