Development in a Finite World
by Dr. Yu Jie, ChinaDialogue, China - Let’s suppose climate change were tackled with a global carbon tax. This type of tax could not be based on a nation’s GDP, but would be levied on those above the threshold: the further above the threshold you were, the more you would be taxed. In this system, inequality within nations – the so-called “north within the south” – will be seen as no different to inequality between countries. In fact, nations with wide income gaps may be seen, under this system, to have more capacity than those with smaller income gaps.
Comments (1)
This makes sense, especially considering that countries like the US are leaders in carbon emissions and many of the regions in the global south are not only the poorest but the most susceptible to climate change. In this light the author certainly presents an “equitable” solution.
Regarding the inequity within individual countries – or “the north within the south” – I still think this solution is workable because everywhere when we have money we drive. Here in the U.S. automobiles and light trucks are responsible for nearly half of all greenhouse gases emitted by automobiles globally. And, as the author points out, greenhouse-gas emissions caused by cooking and heating are not equivalent to those incurred through the consumption of luxury products.
Posted by Kate Daniels | March 18, 2008 7:07 AM