North America's first carbon tax faces judgement

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090505/full/news.2009.445.html

Published online 5 May 2009 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2009.445

News

North America's first carbon tax faces judgement

British Columbia's provincial election showcases climate change politics.

Nicola Jones

Canadian provincial elections don't normally merit international attention. But economists and environmentalists are looking to the 12 May election in British Columbia, Canada's westernmost province, as a test of several climate change policies — including North America's first carbon tax.

The incumbent BC Liberal party government imposed a province-wide carbon tax in July 2008. Since then, it has been a major campaign issue.

"We are keenly interested in watching this unfold," says economist Charles Komanoff, co-founder of the non-profit Carbon Tax Centre in New York. "If (the British Columbia tax) persists, it will give a big boost to the cause in the United States."

British Columbia's carbon tax was unpopular with many voters from the start, in part because it boosted fuel costs just when oil prices were at a record high. The opposing British Columbia New Democratic Party (NDP) has vowed to "axe the tax", arguing that it is ineffective and unfair on remote populations. Ironically, the NDP has traditionally been 'greener' than the Liberals; it has been accused by some, including Graham Saul of Climate Action Network Canada in Ottawa, Ontario, of taking an anti-carbon-tax stance solely to court votes in a close-running election.

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[Oregone]

1. The Liberals will probably pull it out

The Greens seem pitted against the NDP for their stance (which was just political posturing in the first place), chipping off support. Its funny, because carbon taxing was a taboo issue to support during the federal election, according to the media, and now the NDP is being torn down in BC for their opposition of it. Its all politics, it seems