In a paper published November 11 by Canada 2020, Nicholas Rivers of the University of Ottawa makes the case for Canada to adopt a carbon tax.
“Canada has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to avoiding dangerous climate change,” he writes. But the country’s carbon pollution has increased about 15% since 1990, reflecting “the absence of strong policies to curb greenhouse gases.” The limited policy measures in place cost more than necessary, deliver limited results, and only cover a small share of Canada’s overall emissions.
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By contrast, a carbon tax “could achieve Canada’s domestic greenhouse gas targets, help to salvage our international reputation as a responsible environmental steward, encourage global mitigation of emissions, and help to reduce costs associated with reducing emissions,” Rivers says. “Clearly, implementing a meaningful carbon tax is a political challenge, but the potential rewards to such an approach are large.”
