Roland Perry posted
In message , at 20:43:32 on
Sun, 11 Feb 2018, Roger Hayter remarked:
I think the OECD figures inadequately account for skill levels in the
two sectors. At best they are speculative, and I don't think OECD is a
pro-nationalisation organisation.
The OECD is not political at all. It merely aggregates statistics
supplied by member states. And very professionally too.
See, for example, this OECD press release. Not political at all ...
"Governments should make better use of energy taxation to address
climate change"
14/02/2018 - Taxes are effective at cutting harmful emissions from
energy use, but governments could make better use of them. Greater
reliance on energy taxation is needed to strengthen efforts to tackle
the principal source of both greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution,
according to a new OECD report.
New data shows that energy taxes remain poorly aligned with the negative
side effects of energy use. Taxes provide only limited incentives to
reduce energy use, improve energy efficiency and drive a shift towards
less harmful forms of energy. Emissions trading systems, which are not
discussed in this publication, but are included in the OECDs
Effective Carbon Rates, are having little impact on this broad picture.
Comparing taxes between 2012 and 2015 yields a disconcerting result,
said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurr*a. Efforts have been made, or
are underway, in several jurisdictions to apply the polluter-pays
principle, but on the whole progress towards the more effective use of
taxes to cut harmful emissions is slow and piecemeal. Governments should
do more and better.
Meaningful tax rate increases have largely been limited to the road
sector. Fuel tax reforms in some large low-to-middle income economies
have increased the share of emissions taxed above climate costs from 46%
in 2012 to 50% in 2015. Encouragingly, some countries are removing lower
tax rates on diesel compared to gasoline. However, fuel tax rates remain
well below the levels needed to cover non-climate external costs in
nearly all countries.
The damage to climate and air quality resulting from fossil fuel
combustion can be contained, but the longer action is delayed the more
difficult and expensive it becomes to tackle this challenge, Mr
Gurria said. Aligning energy prices with the costs of climate change
and air pollution is a core element of cost-effective policy, and vast
improvements are urgently needed. While in some cases compensation for
higher energy costs faced by households or firms may be deemed
necessary, especially to those more vulnerable, lower tax rates or
exemptions are not the way to provide it targeted transfers should
be favoured.
http://www.oecd.org/tax/governments-...of-energy-taxa
tion-to-address-climate-change.htm
--
Jack