A carbon tax for France and a dramatic plan to cut emissions in Japan. But America is behind
WHAT is small, French and green? President Nicolas Sarkozy, who proposed on Thursday September 10th a tax on carbon-emitting sources of fuel. If it goes ahead, 17 euros ($25) will be levied, initially, per tonne of carbon dioxide. Although France would not be the first country with a general carbon tax—Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway already have them—it would be the largest economy yet.
Mr Sarkozy, a relatively recent convert to green crusading, will have a tough job selling it. He has tried to couch the proposal as fiscally neutral, saying that revenue from the carbon tax would be used to cut income tax, or given away as “green cheques” to the self-employed and others not subject to income tax. He has also emphasised the need to do something serious to tackle climate change. Despite widespread antipathy to the idea of new taxes, he clearly labelled it a “carbon tax”.
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