Matt Horne, Director of BC Energy Solutions for the Pembina Institute, made the following statement in response to the BC NDP's media release claiming that the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy "rejects carbon tax in favour of cap & trade":
"The National Round Table report says that Canada needs an economy-wide price on carbon as soon as possible. Experts agree that this could be accomplished through either a carbon tax or a cap and trade system. The Round Table is opting for cap and trade only to align with federal government policy.
The B.C. NDP's proposal for a limited cap on industrial emitters would only cover up to 32 per cent of B.C.'s pollution, whereas B.C.'s carbon tax covers 76 per cent. So rather than being consistent with the Round Table's call for an economy-wide price, the NDP's proposal would take B.C. in the opposite direction."
The NDP's assertion that a carbon tax would cost more than a cap and trade system is simply wrong, and is not supported by the Round Table report."
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The Pembina Institute is a non-partisan sustainable energy think tank.
Contact:
Matt Horne
Director, B.C. Energy Solutions Program, Pembina Institute
cell: 778-235-1476