Mulling over Jack Hudson to Steve Asher 05 Jul 2005

G'day Jack,

SA> Every individual in Britain could be issued with a 
SA> "personal carbon allowance" - a form of energy rationing - 
SA> within a decade, under proposals being considered seriously 
SA> by the Government.

 JH> ...

SA> Under the scheme for "domestic tradeable quotas" (DTQs), or 
SA> personal carbon allowances, presented to the Treasury this 
SA> week, everyone - from the Queen to the poorest people living 
SA> on state benefits - would have the same annual carbon 
SA> allocation.

[...]

 JH> I can think of all manner of problems that complicate fair and 
 JH> even-handed enforcement of such an allowance / allocation.

 JH> What do you see as the most immediate benefit to such a plan? Would
 JH> it involve a distribution of wealth where lower-income  individuals
 JH> and families, who aren't likely to fly on jets,  are able to better
 JH> their lot in life by selling part of their  yearly allowance to
 JH> people who do? 

I can see that as a way of "marketting" the scheme to low-income people,
who might find it appealing to be able to sell their allowance to those
who can afford to buy. I find it very hard to believe that the Queen or
others who travel in private jets, trains & royal yachts ("Britannia")
would be forced to shop around for energy allocations. :)

 JH> Would carbon credits be traded on some kind of E-Bay?

Yes, and the traders would, IMO, be the main beneficiaries of such
a system.

 JH> Would people be able to circumvent some of England's policies
 JH> simply by making trips out of the country? 

Possibly, but only if Britain goes it alone; ir is likely that it
would be introduced throughout the EU, or globally through "Agenda 21"
type schemes.

 JH> What do you see as the worst aspect of this proposed card?

My guess is that the UK would delegate enforcement to local government,
which would in turn set up carbon management boards, which would in turn
impose levies upon residents to fund their operations, another form of
taxation by stealth, as happens here with water "catchment management
boards" that do little to manage water catchments. :)

 JH> Do you think people might leave England to live elsewhere 
 JH> over such a policy?

If they can find somewhere that doesn't have such a scheme. 

Cheers, Steve..

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