{"id":64570,"date":"2019-04-10T05:04:42","date_gmt":"2019-04-10T09:04:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/huntsville.dopperonline.ca\/?p=64570"},"modified":"2019-04-08T11:06:37","modified_gmt":"2019-04-08T15:06:37","slug":"correcting-the-misunderstandings-around-carbon-tax-hugh-holland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doppleronline.ca\/huntsville\/correcting-the-misunderstandings-around-carbon-tax-hugh-holland\/","title":{"rendered":"Correcting the misunderstandings around carbon tax ~ Hugh Holland"},"content":{"rendered":"

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This article reviews why many governments have been so slow in reacting to what is quickly becoming the single most serious threat to Canada and the world – climate change. It should help to correct the misunderstanding around a carbon tax, and it shows how a carbon tax can drive all initiatives to help ensure that our young people have a livable future.<\/p>\n

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For over two decades, the world\u2019s leading climate scientists have been warning us about the looming risks of man-made climate change. But climate change is hard to prove. After all, there have been hot and cold periods, wildfires, droughts, floods and other extreme weather events throughout history. But our own personal observations should tell us the economic and human costs of climate change are now rapidly increasing as the frequency and severity of extreme weather events increases. Every year, temperatures in India reach new highs in excess of 50 C. The impact of droughts on corn and coffee crops in Central America is one root cause of the migration to the USA. In 2018, both BC and Ontario experienced 40 per cent more wildfires than the 10-year average. BC had 28 early wildfires by April 4, 2019.<\/p>\n

Resistance to change is strong, and some will remain skeptical of the science until they are hit by a personal experience. Politicians can\u2019t get too far ahead of voters, but they should not mislead them. Corporations are driven by quarterly reports, but most also make plans to survive 50 years from now. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Every part of the global auto industry, including Toyota, Honda, VW, Mercedes, BMW, General Motors, Ford and new Chinese car companies, are working to have an all-electric line-up by 2025. But after that it will take at least 20 years to replace the existing global fleet of over one billion cars and light trucks. And it will take longer still to convert heavy trucks, rail, marine, aircraft, agricultural and construction equipment. So, oil will still be needed, albeit in declining amounts, for another 30 to 50 years.<\/p>\n

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The USA, Russia and Saudi Arabia are locked in a hubris-driven race to be the number-one oil producer and are depleting their proven reserves at an irresponsible rate. But Canada, with the world\u2019s third largest reserves and a relatively low production rate, can supply the needed oil long after the smaller reserves in all but five countries have been depleted. Royal Dutch Shell, the world\u2019s fifth largest oil producer, and several Canadian producers in the oil sands, are planning to be survivors. They fully support the idea of a revenue-neutral carbon tax. The tax will provide incentive to use cleaner sources of energy for oil extraction and refining which will reduce legitimate opposition. Oil is a finite resource and by reducing demand, the carbon tax will help to ensure they still have oil left to sell for as long as it is needed.<\/p>\n

Yes, China, the USA and India have much higher total emissions, and Canada contributes less than two per cent of the world\u2019s carbon emissions, and if we shut down Canada entirely, the result would be imperceptible. However, Canada\u2019s emissions per capita are among the world\u2019s highest at 15.1 million tonnes of CO2, vs 1.7 for India, 7.5 for China, 9.5 for Germany, 11.9 for Russia and 16.5 for the USA. Our per capita energy use and emissions are high because we are a big, cold, industrialized country, but we can do better. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Benefits of the Revenue-Neutral Carbon Tax <\/strong><\/h6>\n