By Daryl on 7/29/2008 7:26 AM

In my previous post I looked at why I believe the eco-economists are flawed in the logic behind attaching a price to carbon and what will be the outcome of applying an all stick no carrot approach to tackling the issue. They say reducing GHG emissions is the carrot and you will pay less when you produce less, when actually all you are doing is reducing the size of the stick and replacing it with either a weight on the economy or a ceiling on economic growth. I will now discuss real incentives that could work to encourage a less GHG producing economy and provide real positive inputs to all industries, my approach looks at a pro-growth solution driven framework with real economic benefits for participants and for society as a whole. Grand statement to be sure but not so much more than the talk of the new "Green Economy" that is used to justify government actions and that will off-set the impacts of carbon pri ... Read More »

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By Daryl on 7/20/2008 11:40 AM

The "consensus" view du jour is that some sort of price on carbon is the silver bullet for tackling climate change and is embraced by eco-economists and environmentalists alike. I use the term eco-economists to describe the small but vocal group of economists that subscribe to the Stern Report findings, which has become the benchmark study just like the IPCC reports in regards to Global Warming, the "consensus" as it were. I say it is regressive policy and does not accomplish its sole stated purpose in either a Cap and Trade or Carbon Tax iterations. I am going to assume for a minute the ultimate goal is the reduction of CO2 emissions while maintaining a strong and at the least a stable economy. I believe that GHG emissions will reduce but not for the reasons assumed by the general public.

I will look at actual business level response to a price on carbon and the effect on the economy t ... Read More »

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By Daryl on 7/14/2008 6:16 AM

The LiveSmart BC television ads have started running here in British Columbia, Canada to explain how the Carbon Tax is your buddy, your pal your lifelong friend. The ads clearly state you can save taxes by buying things you would not normally buy and by buying less of what you have to buy. I think that the Government had to pay a marketing and advertising firm a pretty nice chunk of change to come up with that one, just one more example of your carbon tax dollars hard at work for you.

Lets take a look at the two main points; no tax on things you did not have any intention or budget to purchase in the first place and that by buying less gasoline and natural gas you will save money on taxes.

Energy costs are up almost 40% overall and taking money out of your pocket each month, for hot water, heating, driving to work and out to g ... Read More »

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By Daryl on 7/5/2008 4:50 AM

I have stated that Bio-Fuels were a large cause of rising food prices based on the extensive adoption of the content standard in the European Union, US and Canada. Once again I love reading about when others share my views, even if they were not published. An economist at the World Bank apparently agrees with me and a report that was buried has been shown the light of day. Read the News report...

Bio-Fuels Report Leaked - World Bank

I have stated how demand for feedstock for the Industry was causing the biofuel refiners, pockets chock full of tax money in the form of sub ... Read More »

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By Daryl on 7/3/2008 6:19 AM

I was sitting here thinking as I often do early in the morning. Why would a Government implement a carbon tax at this time of high energy prices? Then it hit me, assured success! It is like betting on a horse in the third turn, the results you want are happening so you hitch your cart to the leader. Energy prices are doing what a carbon tax is hypothesized to do, reduce consumption of fossil fuels. The market is doing it free of charge and the Government did not have to do anything, so they tack on their tax, when consumption falls and business and income taxes go up (revenue neutral taxation boys) they claim victory and say did you not read the fine print in the budget?

Sometimes the Government surprises even me with their deviousness.

By Daryl on 6/30/2008 5:55 AM

Today is the last day of life without a Carbon Tax here in British Columbia, it should be a record gas sales day for service stations. The future is very uncertain, but if my reaction to prices during my grocery shopping trip on the weekend ( Where I nearly fainted at the specialty bread aisle where one loaf was $6.50 ) , it is none to bright. It seems we have the perfect storm of global conditions set to drag down even the strongest economies. To this our green leaders have choosen to add an additional burden in the name of climate change, to help us change our habits they say. We shall see.

It will be an interesting year as the Federal Liberal Party attempts to get elected using the Carbon Tax policies of British Columbia, I will predict an election in the fall after a summer of greenwashing "The Green Shift". I will also predict the Liberals will hand the Conservatives the Majority Government. This is bad strategy cornerstoned by a bad plan ... Read More »

By Daryl on 6/17/2008 4:08 AM

The venerable organization Greenpeace ( well in environmental movement terms it is old ) recently sent John Sauven for a chat with Steven Sackur on BBC's HardTalk. It seems that Greenpeace is trying to re-brand itself as the solar worshippers for an new millennia. It is all about the sun! I will ask you to watch the Interview and then I will point out some problems with this environmental expert's "vision" of the world and critiques of society.

HardTalk - Interview

Mr Sauven in his opening statements claims that "if we could capture all the energy from the sun for 70 minutes we could power the world." Done for effect and to make his point that we are "awash" with energy, ... Read More »

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By Daryl on 6/9/2008 5:34 AM

Dr James Hansen the outspoken and radical climate scientist from NASA has taken it upon himself to expand his field of expertise to economics, the same Hansen that believes only climate scientists can speak about climate change, has simply ignored his own opinions and threw his hat into the economic arena. Dr Hansen is circulating his "Tax and Dividend" solution to tackling greenhouse gas emissions. While I say he can do so if he wishes it exposes the double standards that are running rampant through the climate debate. I find it amusing that the self-proclaimed and perpetually persecuted saviour of the planet seems to have such an elevated opinion of himself that no subject seems taboo to him, so much for being silenced by evil governmental administration officials.

Dr Hansen sent out this Memo describing his plan...

... Read More »

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By Daryl on 6/7/2008 12:16 PM

Just read the Wall Street Journal article about the meeting last week of economists in Copenhagen, Denmark. Seems the consensus coming out of the meeting is the one myself and many others in the "Denier" community has been saying all along, people such as Bjorn Lomberg who fell from favour for his realistic approach to environmentalism. This meeting determined we are not really being very prudent with our resources and investments, nor our priorities for the planet, simply put we are on the wrong path. How can they say that? Simply because economists use a mankind first approach and environmentalists use a nature first set of values. This is the fundamental argument that should be taking place in the halls of power inside the world's governments, not the emergency taxing of the population to create common property funds to expand state control over energy delivery and full control over research funding. Money that will go into general funds a ... Read More »

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By Daryl on 6/5/2008 3:27 PM