Carbon pricing overview

A Real-World Example of Carbon Pricing Benefits Outweighing Costs

Without Carbon Pricing Any Green Energy Plan Is Fundamentally Incomplete

Cap and Trade with Offsets

The Million Letter March article on Cap and Trade with Offsets

Carbon Tax

Carbon Tax Centre on carbon tax?

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has a great slideshow and report on British Columbia's carbon tax.

Fee and Dividend

This pricing mechanism was proposed by James Hansen (who also refers to it as Fee and Green Cheque). In summary:

  1. A fee is charged at the point of origin or point of import on greenhouse gas emitting energy (oil, gas and coal)
  2. The fee is progressive (increases gradually) over time
  3. The fee is returned to the public

Climate Lobby on Fee and Dividend

Cap and Dividend

A limit or cap is placed on greenhouse gases from certain sources; these sources are required to obtain permits to cover their greenhouse gas emissions and dividends from the sale of the permits are returned directly to consumers through rebates or tax credits to compensate for increased energy costs. The cap is typically placed on 'upstream' sources – like fossil fuel suppliers – to cover the carbon content of the fuels they distribute. Some limited trading may be allowed, but typically only among covered sources.

Canadian cap and Dividend is a market-based mechanism for reducing emissions from fossil fuels that combines the best qualities of the proposals promoted by Canadian political parties interested in meeting internationally recognized emissions reductions targets.