carbon tax

This week in ClimatePULSE we take a look at some of the most promising clean technology solutions. And now that the enthusiasm regarding corn-ethanol has (rightfully) faded, what better time to do so? While this list is far from exhaustive, it should provide some insight into (hopefully) safe bets within the clean tech sector. We have chosen to profile 5 companies considered to have high potential. So, let’s get started…

n wake of yesterday’s disapproval of the financial rescue package, ClimatePULSE will take a look at the status of the carbon market and how it is affected by the financial services sector. Although carbon and stock trading do not occur side-by-side, they certainly interact and influence one another through various connections. In many ways, the carbon market relies heavily on the financial status of both the country and individual companies. A sliding financial market may affect the allocation of money and credit and slow the development of the national carbon market.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper denounced Liberal Party’s Green Shift plan as a ‘green shaft’ that will put brakes on the nation’s economic development because of the proposed carbon tax.“It will drive up the price of everything - transportation, groceries, electricity, heating, even propane for our barbecues,” claimed Harper.

A factory worker complains about bearing the brunt of climate change reform. Who can help him carry the weight?

Climate change, is one of the most profound challenges of modern times. So why is it that there is such a serious shortage of greenhouse gas experts, climate-change strategists, and professionals in the field? After all, climate change will certainly affect all of our lifestyles and the way we do business. And while it’s undoubtedly important to develop rigid, international standards for greenhouse gas monitoring and management, it’s equally as important to have skilled workers in place to ensure these standards are put into practice correctly.

This week we ’ll take a look at three different and equally likely forms of GHG legislation to help your company better understand its possible exposure and risk mitigation strategies. (1) Performance Standards, (2) Carbon Tax, and (3) Cap and Trade.

The annual Council of the Federation meeting was just held at Queen's Park and Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario, joined Quebec, BC, and Manitoba in the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) and supporting a North American cap-and-trade carbon system.

Finance Minister Colin Hansen states British Columbia’s carbon tax will benefit people, economy and environment at the same time.

The tax cuts that the government has introduced with the carbon tax plan will allow people to spend larger sums on carbon-cutting products like fuel-efficient vehicles. And such low carbon products will further reduce expenses like savings in fuel (because of greater fuel-efficiency). This also means that the government will proceed with its plan even if fuel prices increase further.

However, regulating the aggregated emissions at a utility-level makes sense from a regulatory perspective and quantifying indirect greenhouse gas emissions from electricity use makes sense to individual companies because it is so closely tied to cost-saving efforts from energy efficiency projects. This example should start to demonstrate how complicated GHG legislation can become when ownership of emissions is itself a difficult concept to grasp.

GHG management is most often still the domain of environmental professionals, but because GHG emissions may be viewed as potential liabilities, and present financial opportunities for some, in the near future, company executives are increasingly looking for greater visibility into the data.

As the public debate continues on whether greenhouse gases contribute to global warming or whether we are going through a natural cycle, enormous political pressure and investment dollars are streaming into the solutions aspect of the debate. Discussions in North America on environmental policy and economic benefits are steaming ahead at all levels of government and in the corporate board room.Putting the debate aside, creating a carbon market that stimulates activity to address climate change provides everyone an opportunity to participate.

As the need for climate change solutions continues to grow, so does the need for properly educated greenhouse gas management and measurement professionals. Universities and colleges are typically the first place one thinks of when they hear “advanced education”; unfortunately, these institutions alone do not currently provide education for the full spectrum of the climate change industry.

British Columbia will be the first in North America to institute a comprehensive carbon tax on nearly all fossil fuels. It’s a groundbreaking move that could prove the feasibility of taxing greenhouse-gas emissions.

Despite all the talk about solar energy, it only generates a measly .1% of electricity i n the US. Meanwhile, national demand for electricity is growing by 2% annually. Considering that solar technology has been in use for decades, why is it not more w idespread?

Washington, DC - Margo Thorning, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, American Council on Capital Formation, is interviewed about a study assessing the potential national and state economic impacts resulting from proposed climate change legislation.

Environmental lawyer, Dianne Saxe, comments on carbon tax to be introduced in BC, Canada, starting July 2008. 

A carbon tax is a tax on the carbon content of fuels — effectively a tax on the carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels. Thus, carbon tax is shorthand for carbon dioxide tax or CO2 tax.[...]

People in the wealthy post-industrialised world tend to forget that for developing nations access to abundant and cheap energy resources is crucial in the fight against poverty. Westerners often hope these countries can somehow skip the polluting fossil fuel path which turned Europe, the US and Japan into prosperous regions...