Polluter tax to fund renewables sector says think tank
October 2009
The Green Fiscal Commission has suggested that a ‘polluter pays’ tax model could be set up to provide a significant boost for UK low carbon jobs and competitiveness. The group claims that the measures could reduce UK emissions by over 30 per cent by 2020, and create 455,000 new jobs.
‘This is not just about reducing emissions, but helping the UK to develop low carbon competitiveness,’ said GFC director Paul Ekins.
The proposed ‘green tax’ model would mean that the total amount of taxation in the UK would not increase, but highly polluting businesses and households would see tax bills increase while low polluters saw their bills fall. They claim that polls show that the public would support such measures.
The group also recommended investing a proportion of the green tax revenues on energy efficient homes, cars and renewable energy schemes.
“This report adds the numbers to an issue that has frequently been discussed in more general terms. It shows that Green Fiscal Reform could help put the UK on a low-carbon track and from that many positives will flow: reduced greenhouse gas emissions, extra employment, and new technologies which will help the UK economy all round’ comments Robert Napier, chair, GFC
Michelle Williams from Artemis Solutions Group who specialise in the energy sector comments “This is another example of how ideas that were almost unthinkable a few decades ago are coming ever closer to the mainstream”.
