B.C. needs to take green economy to the next level
This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 26th, 2011 and is filed under Green Energy.
We have a lot to celebrate in British Columbia. As the leading economies of the world strive to achieve a clean-energy future, we are well positioned to play a leading role. We have an emerging clean-tech sector, supported by some of the most progressive energy policies on the continent -policies that are creating real jobs and opportunities today.
Take B.C.’s pioneering carbon tax. Nobody likes paying taxes, but for four years and through two elections, this policy has brought unexpected benefits to the people of this province. The idea is simple: Put a price on fossil fuels, so that dumping global-warming gases into the atmosphere is no longer free. As the rate gradually increases, the tax makes cleaner and more efficient alternatives to fossil fuels more viable.
A recent column by economist Mark Jaccard highlights figures from the B.C. budget that the carbon tax has paid back to British Columbians $200 million more than it has taken away. Yes, the carbon tax is actually delivering a significant tax cut, in disguise. According to Jaccard’s assessment, at least three-quarters of British Columbians are paying less today because of the carbon tax. For hundreds of thousands of us, that has meant more money in our pocket for groceries, child care, sports and other costs.
And our carbon-pricing policy has helped one of the largest clusters of clean-tech companies in the world to expand. While every other month brings news of mill closures and challenges to our traditional resource industries, clean tech stands as one of the fastest growing sectors, with hundreds of companies and thousands of employees.
Many of these companies did not exist 10 years ago. These are knowledge-based jobs that pay well above the provincial average. The sector exports a range of technologies to 50 countries -products such as wind turbines, solar panels, biofuel systems, clean transportation technologies, and smart-grid solutions British Columbia’s economic advantages have been bolstered by our leadership in the Western Climate Initiative -a regional agreement to reduce global warming pollution that is on track to kick in early next year. Through our cooperation with California, Quebec, and others, British Columbia is at the leading edge of the green economy in North America.
By Moura Quayle And John Richards, Vancouver Sun
Link to full article
