Below is an extract from an article compiled by SBS. The Carbon Tax will be introduced in Australia on July 1. The federal opposition has warned that it will mean spiralling costs for the public and for businesses; the government has said the costs will be minimal. Unfortunately, most of the factual messages have now become drowned out by the political fracas, and the end result is that the carbon tax is immensely unpopular. But we are not alone – – – –
15 MAY 2012 – Source: SBS
CARBON TAXES AROUND THE WORLD
CHINA (state-based action)
China is planning a carbon tax on big energy consumers by 2015, and it’s likely the cost of each tonne of CO2 will be $US1.55. Some states have already introduced a carbon tax.
UNITED STATES (state-based action)
Although a few states have introduced the tax, there is no nationwide carbon tax levelled in the USA, . Colorado passed a carbon tax in November 2006. California has a carbon tax of 4.4 cents per tonne of CO2. In Maryland, a tonne of CO2 is worth $5 from a source emitting more than a million tonnes of carbon dioxide during that year.
CANADA (state-based action)
Canada does not have a federal carbon tax, but some Canadian provinces and states do have carbon taxes. The provinces of Quebec and Alberta introduced a carbon tax in 2007 while British Columbia introduced a tax of $10 per tonne of CO2 in July 2010.
INDIA (tax on coal)
In July 2010, India introduced a nationwide carbon tax of 50 rupees per tonne ($1.07) of coal both produced and imported to India.
SOUTH KOREA introduced a national carbon tax in 2008.
JAPAN currently does not have a carbon tax but it’s planning to implement one.
EUROPE (national-based action)
A carbon tax was proposed by the European Commission in 2010, but a carbon tax has not been agreed upon by the 27 member states. The current proposal by the European Commission would charge firms between 4 and 30 euros per metric tonne of CO2.
The European Union enacted an emissions trading scheme in 2005 which places a cap on the amount of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide that can be emitted by big polluters. It operates in the 27 EU member states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Their current target is a 21 per cent cut of 2005 emissions by 2025 (Australia’s is a 5% cut of 2000 emissions by 2020).
Several European countries have enacted a carbon tax. They include: Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.
FINLAND
Finland introduced the world’s first carbon tax initially with exemptions for specific sectors in 1990. Many changes were later introduced such as a border tax on imported electricity. Natural gas has a reduced tax rate while peat was exempted between 2005 and 2010. In 2010, Finland’s price on carbon was €20 per tonne of CO2.
THE NETHERLANDS
The Netherlands introduced a carbon tax in 1990 which was then replaced by a tax on fuels. In 2007, it introduced a carbon-based tax on packaging to encourage recycling.
SWEDEN
In 1991, Sweden enacted a tax on the use of coal, oil, natural gas, petrol, and aviation fuel used in domestic travel. The tax was 0.25 SEK/kg ($US100 per tonne of C02) and was later raised to $US150. With Sweden raising prices on fossil fuels since enacting the carbon tax, it cut its carbon pollution by 9 per cent between 1990 and 2006.
NORWAY
In 1991, Norway introduced a tax on carbon. It’s carbon emissions, however, increased by 43 per cent per capita between 1991 and 2008.
DENMARK
Since 2002, Denmark has had a carbon tax of 100 DKK per metric ton of CO2, equivalent to approximately 13 Euros or 18 US dollars. Denmark’s carbon tax applies to all energy users but industrial companies are taxed differently depending on the process the energy is used for, and whether or not the company has entered into a voluntary agreement to apply energy efficiency measures.
SWITZERLAND
A carbon incentive tax was introduced in Switzerland in 2008. It includes all fossil fuels, unless they are used for energy. Swiss companies can be exempt from the tax if they participate in the country’s emissions trading system. The tax amounts to CHF 36 per metric tonne CO2.
UK
In 1993, the UK government introduced a tax on retail petroleum products to reduce emissions in the transport sector. The UK’s Climate Change Levy was introduced in 2001.
IRELAND
A tax on oil and gas came into effect in 2010. It was estimated to add around €43 to filling a 1000 litre oil tank and €41 to the average annual gas bill.
COSTA RICA
In 1997, Costa Rica enacted a tax on carbon pollution set at 3.5 per cent of the market value of fossil fuels. The revenue raised from this went to a national forest fund which paid indigenous communities for protecting the forests around them.
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