[GreenYes] ENDS: Nordic tax review highlights green gains

["Reindl, John" <Reindl@no.address>]

Alan ~
 
Here is something related to my last email that I think deserves our serious contemplation. I recognize that there are differences in Nordic society as compared to US society that limits our ability to move ahead with green taxes, but, as I noted in a previous email, even Parade magazine carried an article last Sunday recommending that readers contact their federal legislators and ask for a carbon tax. 
 
John 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Michael Warhurst <mailto:michael@no.address>  
 
Sent: Friday, June 30, 2006 3:27 AM
Subject: [waste.workinggroup] ENDS: Nordic tax review highlights green gains

The review (link at end of story) includes landfill and incineration taxes & other waste-related taxes.

Michael


-------------------------
Nordic tax review highlights green gains
ENDS Europe DAILY 2127, 29/06/06
-------------------------
Green taxes recently introduced in Nordic countries have achieved 
some remarkable environmental improvements, according to a new study 
for the Nordic council of ministers.

Energy and carbon taxes in particular have made an "important 
difference to emission levels," says the review, carried out by 
Denmark's national environmental research institute.  The findings 
cover the use of economic instruments in the Nordic and Baltic 
countries between 2001 and 2005.

A Danish tax on carbon dioxide has cut emissions by almost a quarter 
over seven years, the authors say.  In other environmental sectors, a 
Finnish waste tax reduced waste volumes by 15%.  Taxes were 
particularly effective for heavier waste fractions.

"Softer" mechanisms associated with taxes, such as "general 
signalling and attention-raising effects", are probably as effective 
as the economic aspects of the taxes themselves in encouraging 
eco-friendly practices, the report says.

Environmental levies account for 8-10% of taxation income in the 
Nordic countries, according to the report.  A recent decision by 
Estonia to increase environmental taxes while reducing income taxes 
mirrors similar developments in Sweden and bucks a wider EU trend of 
declining environmental tax levels (EED 23/05/06 
http://www.endseuropedaily.com/21033).

The report identifies the recent launch of the EU Emission Trading 
Scheme (ETS) and the adoption of the EU's 2003 energy tax directive 
as the most important recent developments.  The ETS in particular had 
created an "expectation for further innovations in this direction", 
it said.

The fifth in a regular series since 1994, the report is the first to 
cover the Nordic region's neighbouring Baltic states of Lithuania, 
Latvia and Estonia.

Follow-up: Nordic Council of Ministers http://www.norden.org/, tel.: +45 33 96 
02 00, plus press release 
http://www.norden.org/webb/news/news.asp?id=6237 <http://www.norden.org/webb/news/news.asp?id=6237&#38;lang=6> &#38;lang=6 and 
report http://www.norden.org/pub/miljo/ekonomi/sk/TN2006525.pdf (both 
in English).
Article Index: economic instruments, general

-- 
Dr. A. Michael Warhurst
Senior Campaigner, Reduce Resource Use
Friends of the Earth
26-28 Underwood Street
London N1 7 JQ

Email: michael@no.address
Direct line: +44 20 7566 1685

Support Friends of the Earth
https://www.foe.co.uk/?email_staff

These personal opinions do not necessarily reflect the policy of Friends of the Earth.





--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "GreenYes" group.
To post to this group, send email to GreenYes@no.address
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to GreenYes-unsubscribe@no.address
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/GreenYes
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---