Do you support a global carbon tax?

[Union Label]

With the destruction of eco-systems large and small all over our planet is this the only way we can bring the most destructive on the planet into line? The following link has a lot of good information. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/01/24/bcnstern24.xml

[ProdigalJunkMail]

1. I would say no as it would crush developing economies n/t

[Union Label]

3. Thats why there is a maybe

I'm sure we would need exemptions from time to time and that sounds like one.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

6. but exemptions and loopholes only extend the unlevel playing field

I think incentives to companies that come up with viable alternatives would be better. I just think that if the gov't spent 1/10 of what it did on the Iraq war and said, "Ok, the company that comes up with the best alternative energy use/resource gets $40 billion." THAT would get some attention...of course the details of the contest would have to be worked out. Kinda like a mega X-Prize.

sP

[porphyrian]

5. Not if we make environmentally-friendly options affordable and available.

We subsidize farmers. We subsidize corporations. Why couldn't we, as the global community, subsidize carbon-reductive practices in the third world?

[ProdigalJunkMail]

7. I just don't like subsidies

too much opportunity to be unfair with them. "Why can't my struggling economy have a break and those guys over there got one?" See my post just above for incentives idea...

sP

[Kelly Rupert]

2. The concept of a global tax seems rather unfeasible to me.

I like the idea, in principle, but I can't imagine China, America, and the EU all agreeing on the same terms and conditions, and agreeing on a means of enforcement. If it worked, it would be a stunning coup--but, unfortunately, stunning coups are usually considered such because of the extreme difficulty in bringing them about.

[slackmaster]

4. I'm sure the Chinese would be really wild about this idea

And the Indians.

:rofl: