why do politicians think taxing is the answer to solving global warming?

Question

I'm annoyed today. We keep on being told in the news about how we need to do something about global warming, and yes they are right but why can't governments do anything pro-active to actually tackle it?

So far the only thing that has been done in an attempt to cut CO2 emissions is to put £10 on the price of a flight (like thats going to do anything to reduce the number of flights). But don't worry i'm sure the opposition will do something, so what do the Conservatives want to do? they want to tax flights even more!. Do they realise that things other than planes pollute the atmosphere? Where is the politician showing commitment to increasing renewable energy or reducing emissions from cars? no ones got the balls to do anything serious about global warming and theres nothing we can do about it because theres no other options to that of the labour party.

This is exactly why people don't vote. whats the point if you know that the opposition is going to be identiical to labour

Answer 1

For once, a sensible question on global warming.

The idea behind taxation is to discourage use. If it costs more, we use less. In reality, no government has the guts to raise taxation levels to the point where we modify our behaviour, so there is little point other than revenue gathering.

If we could see that the extra revenue was being pumped into renewable energy sources, perhaps it would be a worthwhile cost. Unfortunately, since electricity was privatised, there is no financial incentive for companies to invest in currently expensive non-carbon technologies.

Any party that offers a truly radical approach potentially stands to gain millions of votes, that is until lazy voters see that electing an effective government isn't enough - we all have to change our ways.

Answer 2

Anyone who saw the 'Global Warming Swindle' on Channel 4 on Thursday evening, would now know that it is all a con.
Co2 is not the cause of climate change, it is due to activity on the Sun. And the greatest greenhouse gas is actually water vapour which accounts for around 95% of the greenhouse effect. This effect is essential to prevent the Earth becoming so cold it would be uninhabitable, so we need this greenhouse effect.
As for Co2, it is not a pollutant, but a good gas which encourages plant growth and increased crop yields. So the more we produce the better. In any case most Co2 comes from the oceans and volcanos, and the amount they produce every year renders the human production of Co2 entirely insignificant.
Politicians want to scare us witless in order to make new taxes more acceptable. We are already taxed to a level which is extortionate by any standards of the past. So in order to tax us more, without unleashing a (justifiable) taxpayers revolt, they have to convince us that it is all being done for our own benefit, and that we are to blame for damaging the future of the Earth through our selfish actions. We must be made to feel like criminals. This also enables them to institute an ever increasing control of the populace, with more and more rules and regulations effecting every aspect of our everyday life.
This prospect is an absolute delight to the bureaucratic mindset of politicians, who are the world's greatest egotistical control freaks.
We can't change global warming, as we are not causing it. in any case there are umpteen benefits to it which are deliberately never mentioned by the doom and gloom merchants.
The eco-fanatics should just get over it, and sit back and enjoy our improving weather. If today's springlike weather in London is an example of climate change, then I say, 'bring it on'.

Answer 3

The whole situation on the causes of global warming are as yet unproven. The politicians as usual bring in scare tactics to influence the unthinking and to screw us with even more taxes for global warming. Bliar flew to Brussels the other day when going by train would have caused far less damage to the atmosphere but as usual he had an (untruthful) answer to justify the reason for doing so. As for the Tories, well they sooner they throw Cameron out the better and as for the EU that outfit is so laughable you could cry.

Answer 4

I Think they should firstly tax the big companies in the country for producing so much packaging waste and moving goods around the country so much instead of supporting local trades. They would then enforce a culture of recycling and control within the workplace via procedures and disciplining.
The workforce would then over time begin to react to these actions and over time the whole country would get used to being more pro-active.

I work for a company which takes a bottle out of a box and puts it in another to send to the customer. The original box is sent to a land fill site. They then transport this bottle around the country to the customer who can then reject it and it travels back to be put in another box and sent out again another day. The Management seem to think this is ok and do not
1)Recycle
If landfill was taxed a lot higher for wasteful companies they would.
2)Charge the customer a delivery charge
The customer would then think twice about mis-ordering.
I work for a FTSE 100 Blue Chip Company.

Answer 5

The debate on global warming has now split into two clearly defined camps. In camp one, there are those who believe that global warming is being caused by human activity in the burning of fossil fuels. In camp two they believe that all of mankind's puny efforts have nothing to do with global warming and that the phenomenon is occurring naturally and probably being caused by activity or changes on the surface of the Sun.

No amount of tax is going to change anything. I support camp two and accept that global warming is happening but do not believe cutting back on emissions is going to turn back nature.

The argument about global warming is going to be the major political issue of this century. In centuries to come, people reading our squabblings will think us mad.

The most important aspect of the global warming issue which is probably being missed by most of us, is that Africa will suffer most by our constant desire to tax and keep on taxing. The Greens do not want Africa to advance. Africans cannot switch on a light in their houses because they do not have electricity. Africa is being forced to remain povertry stricken for ever.

Wind farms will not supply enough power. UK will have to build new nuclear power stations within the next 25 years or simply switch off all the lights. The end of UK.

Why don't the politicians talk sensibly about tax on such as flights? I never fly anywhere. Why not allow me to sell my carbond emissions to someone else? I'm not using them. If each citizen were to be allocated a given number of emissions and allowed to sell the ones they do not use, we'd all be happy. But no. This is not going to happen because it might mean that a poor person who never flies gets paid for not flying by a richer person who does fly. It's called free trade.

Answer 6

The reason nobody is doing anything real is because it is just an inflated scare tactic. The libs said 20 years ago that we only have 10 years before the next ice age.
Here we go again.
Though I suspect their is some truth to the idea I am more certain that the time table has been grossly inflated. Not only will they tax more but they will have more latitude to line their pockets with the only "GREEN" stuff they really care about.

Answer 7

Tax is not actually going to solve anything.All it does is put more money into the governments coffers.They will then tell us that if we don't get taxed we're all doomed and the planet wil be destroyed.
The warming and cooling of the planet is cyclical and occurs naturally without the the human touch.We're all being ripped off and conned into believing it's all our fault,so now we must pay(unless you're a politician,because they're the good guys,right?)

Answer 8

in case you come back up with a extra effectual way of offering the international's means needs the difficulty would be solved. extra effectual get busy. no one else seems to be having lots fulfillment with that. you would be prosperous previous concept in case you achieve this objective. no might desire to advance taxes to stress everybody to end the place they're and go through. we can all get captivated with the potentialities if residing back. it particularly is a normal theory. Why do no longer you do it!

Answer 9

I think taxing probably is the answer to some global warming. There really is only one way to get people to cut down on stuff and that's to raise the price. It makes me mad but deep down I know it's the only way. I got furious with my electric bills so became obsessed with not using so much electric - I was just trying to get at the electric company but, of course, I was cutting down on my carbon footprint too. I agree that politicians should start living on planet earth though - the eu guys drive massive gas guzzlers, most government buildings are ablaze with light even when empty.

Answer 10

Because they have no imagination nor true understanding of the issues they are addressing. It is a consequence of rule by opinion poll and tabloid editorial. The current UK government has an insatiable appetite for more tax revenue. Any excuse will do.