Carbon tax in Alberta, the solution to climate change

People who are for and against Alberta's carbon price

People who are for and against Alberta's carbon price are divided on the issue. Following the contentious debate, Alberta's environment minister strongly defended the legislation, describing it as an important step in the province's fight against climate change. Since all of the funds collected by the Alberta Carbon Tax will be recovered by corresponding tax reductions, it has no negative fiscal impact on taxpayers. For the purpose of facilitating a balance in the collection of all government revenues, the government will specify different taxes that will be discontinued. The implementation of the policy will make a smooth progress in the endeavors of dealing with unfavorable climatic changes thus improving the entire environment.

Challenges with implementing a Carbon tax

On the other hand, Cherlin, an analyst of the global markets points out that implementation of a Carbon tax will increase conversion of most of energy sources to renewable ones making the supply of coal and gas resources useless. The worthlessness of non-renewable energy sources will be obvious because renewable energies will be costing less than the coal and gas energy. Therefore, there will be little or no funding for those campaigning for fossil fuels. There will be no employment among those working in fossil fuel firms hence being denied their source of livelihood. Research and investigation into non-renewable sources of energy and their development will also be undermined since little attention and funding will only be offered to the scholars. Most of the people have campaigned against the Carbon tax in Alberta arguing that it is an unnecessary tax increase. However, this revenue will be used to fund other government projects aimed at improving various aspects of the environment particularly, in the atmosphere.

A Solution to the Climate Problem

James Hansen in his article ‘A Solution to the Climate Problem’ points out that the world currently is faced with the great threat of fossil fuel emissions thus creating the urgency to eradicate this menace around mid-21st Century. Nonetheless, the author does not dwell much on finding the causes of the problem from fossil emissions. With the adequate insight of sources of fossil emissions, the problem can amicably be resolved at greatest levels if not entirely eradicated. Electricity production is the primary source of fossil emissions. Close to 70% of greenhouse gasses are emitted when producing electricity. This percentage indicates that there should be incorporation of effective and efficient know-how in this endeavor which is not included in the article. Transport and industrial activities are the other contributing factors of fossil emissions. If most of our each day’s activities globally can be done and operated with the expected effective care and precautions of remnant emissions can no longer threaten the world.

The role of carbon prices in combating climatic problems

Nevertheless, Hansen puts forward that climatic problems can be less severe with the application of flat carbon prices at the sources of fossil fuel. This fee is important in discouraging emission of significant amount of fossils among companies and energy providers. The tax collected should benefit the taxpayers through funding of national projects that improves the lives of the public as well. The tax should vary among nations according to the rate at which they release emissions into the atmosphere. There should be consent on collecting the revenues through tax duties. Leaders of the nations must honestly execute this duty and be at the forefront in finding problems to other climatic problems as well. The article is informative with full of insight on ways of combating climatic problem particularly, fossil emissions.