| UK. Government proposes tradeable personal carbon allowances; power boat owners could be hard hit |
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| Wednesday, 19 July 2006 | |
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Marian Martin Following investigations by the Tyndall Centre into personal tradeable allowances, Environment Secretary, David Miliband, will signal this evening that the Government is to lookmore radically at the option of tradeable personal carbon allowances, in a bid to combat rising emissions from the domestic sector. Miliband believes there is merit in providing people with a capped number of carbon allowances, which - if they chose to reduce their emissions - could then make them money by selling surplus allowances. Speaking at the Audit Commission's annual lecture, Miliband said: "Imagine a country where carbon becomes a new currency. We carry bank cards that store both pounds and carbon points. When we buy electricity, gas and fuel, we use our carbon points, as well as pounds. To help reduce carbon emissions, the Government would set limits on the amount of carbon that could be used.” "People on low incomes are likely to benefit as they will be able to sell their excess allowances. People on higher incomes tend to have higher carbon emissions due to higher car ownership and usage, air travel and tourism, and larger homes.” "It is more empowering than many forms of regulation because instead of banning particular products, services or activities, or taxing them heavily, a personal carbon allowance enables citizens to make trade-offs. It is also empowering because many citizens want to be able to do their bit for the environment and tackle climate change, but there is no measurable way of guiding their decisions." “Carbon allowances would cover people's direct use of energy through their electricity, gas, petrol and air travel - which makes up 44 per cent of the economy's total emissions. The minister also said “Such a scheme would be more fair than tax increases, because personal carbon allowances provide free entitlements and only offer financial penalties for those who go above their entitlement.” Power boat owners would be among those who would be the hardest hit, if such a scheme were to come into force. One owner BYM News spoke to this evening said “We are already threatened with the eventual loss of red diesel, but this sounds worse. It would depend on the penalties, but I would probably have to look at selling my boat; that is if anyone would want to buy it under those circumstances.” Personal carbon tradeable allowances are one of a number of ways the Government is looking to consider further how individuals can be better informed and personally involved in tackling climate change. Carbon loyalty cards, league tables, the use of carbon offsets at point of purchase for certain sectors, awareness raising through labelling and carbon calculators are all being investigated as potential long-term measures. The Tyndall Centre has been at the forefront of investigating personal tradeable allowances. "Decarbonising the UK", produced by Richard Starkey and Kevin Anderson is its most recent published research and is available from the Tyndall Centre website - www.tyndall.ac.uk The Department of Communities and Local Government, Defra, Department for Trade and Industry and HM Treasury is to undertake a joint study that will examine new policy options, such as tradeable personal carbon allowances. They will report back to Ministers in the first half of 2007. |
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 19 July 2006 ) |
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