Energy ration cards for everyone planned
By Charles Clover, Environment Editor
(Filed: 02/07/2005)

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

Ministers say that increasingly clear evidence that climate change is
happening more quickly than expected has made it necessary to "think
the unthinkable".

They believe they need to start a public debate on energy rationing
now if Tony Blair's aspiration of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by
two thirds by 2050 is to be achieved.

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

This would be contained electronically on a "ration card", which could
be the proposed ID card or a "carbon card" based on supermarket
loyalty cards.

It would have to be handed over every time a form of non-renewable
energy was purchased - at the filling station, or when buying tickets
for a flight - for points to be deducted.

High users of energy would have to purchase points from low users, or
from a central "carbon bank", if they wanted to use more energy.

The scheme applies the principle of carbon trading already accepted
for industry.

(snip / snip)

Full article at "Telegraph" ...
http://telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/02/
nrg02.xml&sSheet=/ne ws/2005/07/02/ixnewstop.html

Cheers, Steve...

---