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Chancellor ducks environmental challenge ... again
10 December 2003
Today's pre-budget statement is yet another missed opportunity to tackle environmental problems said Friends of the Earth. The measures announced today by Gordon Brown continue a downward trend in environmental taxation since 1999.
The limited environmental measures announced by the Chancellor include: the establishment of an Alternative Fuels Framework, plans to change eligibility for climate change levies, proposals to recycle landfill tax credits, and consultation in 2004 on tackling diffuse water pollution.
These are greatly outweighed by a lack of action on:
- Pesticide tax - despite the clear failure of the industry's voluntary pesticide initiative.
- Aviation - despite aviation's £9.2 billion a year tax breaks.
- Transport - such as a gas-guzzler car tax or higher fuel tax.
- Removing the perverse subsidy for waste incineration.
Friends of the Earth's Environmental Taxation campaigner Henry Tidy said:
"Once again the Chancellor has failed to protect the environment and our futures. There is very little in the report to show that the Chancellor takes environmental problems seriously. For example the further tax break to North Sea production will ensure that every last drop of North Sea hydrocarbons goes up in smoke, contributing to climate change. It is no surprise that the Government's pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is faltering."
The Government still has a long way to go before having a proper environmental approach to managing the nation's resources. The UK continues to use resources and damage the environment in an unsustainable way. Much more is needed to accelerate the development of a healthy economy and environment through a combination of tax and incentive measures. The economy cannot be sustainable until action is taken to shift taxation off jobs and onto pollution and waste.
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jun 2008
