Written by -- Art Betke
Prince George
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Tuesday, 07 October 2008 |
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TODD WHITCOMBE
Todd Whitcombe described the Liberal carbon tax as a bad plan. Quite true, since it will have little effect on its stated objective (reducing CO2 emissions) and a rather major effect on its real purpose, wealth transfer. As Liberal MP Ken Boshcoff wrote in July, “The ‘shift’ will transfer wealth from rich to poor, from the oilpatch to the rest of the country, and from the coffers of big business to the pockets of low-income Canadians.” It’s NEP II.
If the Liberals really want to reduce emissions it’s also an incomplete plan. To meet our Kyoto obligations we would need major reductions in industry, agriculture and transportation emissions, and how would that be accomplished? Forget increased carbon taxes, cap-and-trade or emission penalties. Europe has tried them with the result that industries have either shut down or moved to countries where there is no emission control, resulting in thousands of lost jobs and shuttered factories (and increased emissions). They’re at the point where they won’t take any more, and they’re nowhere near to meeting Kyoto obligations. And since “saving the planet” would require an 80-per-cent emissions reduction, we would have to accomplish the equivalent of completely shutting down our economy. How will you do it, Mr. Dion, what’s the rest of your plan?
While people are willing to pay lip service and make token efforts, they will not stand for giving up their lifestyles. Knowing this, it’s possible to predict with considerable accuracy, “Kyoto II” (successor to the Kyoto Accord). Reduction targets will be 25 to 30 per cent. Since it’s impossible to meet Kyoto, it will be realized that the new targets are doubly impossible so there will be an alternative - every person in the world will be assigned an equal emission allowance and countries that exceed the per capita maximum will be required to pay money to those who are below it. The deadline for implementation will be set at least 20 years in the future, well after any current world leaders mandates have ended, because no politician wants to be in office when that kind of plan comes due. Any industrialized country that actually tries to meet “Kyoto II” reductions will face a revolt. Besides which, if scientists are correct in their predictions and the current global cooling trend continues, by then it will be impossible to convince anyone that global warming is a threat.
There will be no Kyoto III.
-- Art Betke
Prince George
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 07 October 2008 )
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