Personal carbon allowances - what do you think?

caffeinehit

I can't help thinking that the only way people are ever going to start seriously cutting down on their energy consumption and the amount they waste is to introduce a tradeable 'carbon allowance' for everyone in the country. Everyone gets a electronic voucher for the same level of emissions, points are deducted when you settle your energy bill, pay for your petrol, buy your local carrots or Fijian mineral water, and so on. If you need more points than your allowance you can buy them from someone else who's got points left over, at whatever the going rate is that day. (Ideally this would be a worldwide scheme and would be based on the amount of carbon that humankind could collectively emit without screwing the planet good and proper, but I'm trying to be semi-realistic here).

This idea gets suggested by a maverick politician every now and then but is never taken very seriously. I don't see why. Clearly there would be implementation issues but that's the case with any big scheme, and it doesn't get much bigger or more important than reducing carbon emissions. The majority of people will only make an effort to save energy if they have a seriously large financial reason to do so. Politicians' necks are safe as taxes stay the same, nothing's being banned, and most people could probably make a bit of extra money by selling points to the terminally wasteful.

A friend with whom I discussed this concept the other day was very anti the idea on the basis that the rich would continue to be able to use their private jets and 4x4s. She favoured restricting everyone to a given level of emissions. But my argument is that the possibility of being admonished by the carbon police for exceeding your limit is far less of an incentive than the certainty of having to pay through the nose for that pack of Kenyan sugar snap peas or Moroccan minibreak.

What do you think?

ManAtHome

Well, it was only a few weeks ago that the guvmint (Ms Becket in a former life) were saying that the UK only contributed 2% of the world's CO2 (this was connected with the "oops we're nowhere near the Kyoto promise).

1. Sudden "realisation" that we need to cut down on emmissions is a nice little earner.

2. The rich will be able to afford more efficient machines than the poor.

3. The really rich will continue to "offshore" their assets so continue to pollute the UK whilst paying their taxes in Andorra, Monaco, Bahamas etc.

Cardew

So the rich will buy a Hybrid car like a Toyota Prius or the new hybrid Lexus at 40,000 pounds, get rid of their Fridge/wmachine/dryer/freezer and buy new eco friendly replacements. LCD TV's in each room.

While they are still saving they can get their servants to buy things out of their allowance. Go fill up my car from your allowance Jeeves!

Ken68

Charge the high users more per kwh. If poor large families can't afford it, let 'em claim on family tax credit.

caffeinehit

Fair point about the rich being able to afford more efficient machines, but like anyone else they'll have to consider whether the emissions produced during the machine's manufacture make replacing their older, more efficient machine worthwhile. The Government could perhaps help out with a couple of vouchers for lower income families to replace old appliances or get their roof lagged.

And Jeeves will have a financial incentive to jack in his job and sell his points to someone who'll pay the going rate for them.

I agree with the first reply that 'offshoring' is a problem.

Ken68

Controlling carbon emissions "by the person", just makes the civil servants happy, makes the security people happy, because then they can be traced and controlled.
Much better to add it onto the cost of of the product.
Not unlike car insurance and annual road tax,could and should be tacked onto the cost of fuel.No admin, less cost all round. Then add a bit for mending the environment.