Support for carbon tax

Who supports a price on carbon? Many individuals and organizations across the world including business people, academics, lawmakers, faith-based organizations, the World bank, International Monetary Fund, environmental organizations, and many, many more support a carbon price.

In Ontario, in 2013, several organizations and individuals urged Premier Wynne and the then Minister of the Environment Bradley to “establish meaningful policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors of the economy,” particularly, through a carbon pricing system. The organizations include the Climate Action Network Canada, Pembina Institute, MaRS Cleantech, Clean Energy Canada,  Equiterre, BlueGreen Canada, ENE, Environmental Defense, Carbonzero, and the Cement Association of Canada. The open letter can be viewed  here: http://climateactionnetwork.ca/2013/06/05/stakeholders-write-letter-to-ontario-government-urge-carbon-price/

Several conservative leaders have endorsed carbon taxes. This includes Preston Manning and Michael Chong in Canada. Mr. Chong said that we need to have a debate on carbon pricing in Canada. At the 2016 Manning Centre’s conservative conference, he said “[Conservatives] believe that externalities should be priced and that the root of what it means to be conservative is to conserve our environment for future generations." In Ontario, the Progressive Conservative leader, Patrick Brown has expressed support for a revenue-neutral carbon tax in the province

Across the globe, several multi-national companies have adopted an internal “shadow price” on CO2 emissions in their investment planning. Over 250 companies joined a statement organized by the World Bank Group, World Economic Forum, UN Global Compact, and the Prince of Wale’s Corporate Leaders Group encouraging governments to explore carbon pricing methods.1

Microsoft suggests that an internal pricing mechanism “provides justification to prioritize efficiency at every level of the organization.” Some investors groups from Europe, Asia, Australia and North America have also supported carbon pricing.

References:

1. The World Bank. (2014, August 11). Why Business Leaders Support a Price on Carbon. Retrieved August 22, 2014, from http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2014/08/11/business-leaders-sup...