Opinion by Mathew Carr
Jan. 17, 2025 — Big changes are coming to Canada’s carbon pricing.
I’m withholding judgement for now, yet shielding consumers from high-priced products that damage the environment does not fit comfortably with how carbon pricing is meant to work.
That’s what Mark Carney, probably Canada’s next PM, wants to do — protecting consumers from carbon pricing while letting industry deal with incentives against the emission of GHG into the atmosphere.
This has some advantages. Most of the heat trapping gas is coming from about 40 countries and 400 companies. Having the focus there makes some sense.
Yet, the point of carbon pricing is that consumers make better, cleaner choices when faced with prices that take account of global climate damage — ie in economic jargon — when the externality (climate damage) is internalised into the price of a good or service.
On Thursday, Carney, former leader of the UK and Canada central banks, announced he wants to be the next Canadian PM. He’s keen to push back on ideas of Mr Donald Trump and I’m impressed that he’s brave enough to stand against Trump’s weirdness and bullying (not all of Trump’s ideas are weird).
Here is Carney yesterday:
Carney is set to change Canada’s plans (even though I regard Canada’s plans as world leading).
Canada’s current system signals a global program that gradually increases a carbon-price floor until we get to net zero, where global natural systems (and man-made systems) absorb all the human emissions.
This system seems at risk, even though it’s our best hope.
Does Carney really believe in helping the poor …. or does he only believe in helping the rich bankers?
This needs investigating.
See these snips, for context
Carbon Pulse (paywall):
https://carbon-pulse.com/?sfid=1438&_sf_s=carney
Carney’s nemisis is Trumpian/right-wing populist Pierre Poilievre, below right, pictured with outgoing Canadian leader Justin Trudeau
Search for carney on carrzee.org
(story in progress; more to come)