Let's Create a Positive Climate

[Editor's note: We've asked our partners who helped launch the Green Your Campbell Cash website to express their points of view while the campaign runs through mid-July. Today's is from Voters Taking Action on Climate Change (VTACC).]

On May 30th B.C.'s carbon tax passed into law. The tax has been hailed by economists and environmentalists alike as a North American milestone and an exemplar of transparent, fair and efficient emission reduction policy.

However, while putting a price on the emissions which cause global warming is a groundbreaking move, it is just one small step towards the 90 per cent reduction in emissions we need to achieve to avoid runaway changes in the earth's climate. Unfortunately, even this modest advance has faced stiff opposition, and its future is by no means secure.

The carbon tax starts off low and is set to gradually increase in the future; it will only provide a strong incentive to reduce emissions if government commits to following through with increases in coming years, and government will only remain committed if the public continues to support the measure. The Campbell government has shown bold leadership by introducing the carbon tax, but has it built the sound foundation of support needed to increase the tax in future years?

The rocky start for the carbon tax should give us pause. How can we ensure that lessons learned from this initial victory are used to build consensus around the much more significant emission reduction measures that lie ahead?

Gordon Campbell: the strong silent type?

Gordon Campbell's 2007 speech from the throne suggested that action on climate change would be the touchstone of his government, but on its first substantive policy -- the carbon tax -- his voice has been conspicuously absent. The most egregious example was his appearance before the North Central Municipal Association AGM, where, in the face of strong opposition to the tax from Interior mayors, he gave a speech which didn't even address the topic.

It appears Gordon Campbell has deferred to his finance minister to defend the tax, and she has been resolute in presenting a "no exemptions, no changes" stance to all comers. However, while Carole Taylor has called the carbon tax her finest achievement in office, will her successor share that view?

Gordon Campbell needs to take ownership of this measure, take the hits over it, listen to and address legitimate public concerns, and defend the tax in the interests of British Columbians, the majority of whom support this measure and want action on global warming.

Our premier should not count on his unelected climate czar and the new Climate Action Secretariat to defend this measure and sell it to the public. The secretariat's website fails to respond to any of the tough questions being asked about the tax. In fact, it buries any reference to the carbon tax four mouse clicks away from its home page.

Nor can our premier leave it to environmental organisations and grassroots citizens groups to sell the tax. He has to show that this measure is in the interest of all British Columbians in all parts of the province, because action on climate change is an issue of critical importance to all of us -- not just to those groups that carbon tax opponents have labelled an "urban environmental elite."

Carole James: We'll take the low road

The absence of strong leadership by government in support of its own policy has handed the NDP the opportunity to drive a wedge between the Liberal party and its Interior supporters. However, it is unfortunate for all of us that Carole James and the NDP pursued such a populist attack on the measure. Imagine if, instead of decrying "the Premier for Point Grey's gas tax," Carole James had said "putting a price on emissions is an important move, and here's how we would make it work for everybody."

Unfortunately, rather than encouraging such a race to the top, the NDP seized on the chance to score cheap political points, offered a critique without an alternative vision, and lost the opportunity to provide constructive input to the public debate on the most important emission reduction measure introduced in this province to date.

The NDP's tactics not withstanding, why has Campbell been so quick to end debate over the carbon tax in the legislature? Given the importance of this policy, surely the government could have risen above the fray and allowed opposition MLAs to study the bill closely in committee, put forward amendments, and debate it in depth in the legislature.

Closing off debate in the legislature generated unnecessary ill will. Bringing a range of critical viewpoints to bear may well have improved the tax, created a broader base of support for the measure, and resulted in a strong precedent for cross-party collaboration in the fight against global warming. The need to sustain support for the tax -- and equally radical emission reduction measures in the future -- demands a big tent approach to policy development.

A free pass for big emitters?

Many British Columbians agreed to delay judgement on the government's agenda when the carbon tax was announced. Changes to the tax system were to come first because they are easiest to implement, government said, and large emitters were to be covered under a different program that required more detailed development.

Government appears to have banked on obtaining major reductions in industrial emissions from the cap and trade program organised under the Western Climate Initiative (WCI); however, a start date for this program is no where near and WCI emission reduction targets are much less ambitious than the legally binding targets set by the BC government in 2007.

Government must soon present British Columbians with a clear plan for reducing emissions from big polluters. Otherwise the general public may start to feel like it has been taken for a ride and our fragile emission reduction compact will break apart. The worst outcome would be a widening ideological division in the run up to the next election, with the Liberals emphasising the importance of "personal responsibility" in fighting global warming and the NDP arguing that "big polluters" need to bear the brunt of emission reductions.

What lies ahead?

Obviously, both approaches are needed if we are to achieve substantial emission reductions in coming years. All British Columbians who yearn for a post-partisan political consensus in the fight against global warming should be frustrated right now -- with the NDP for taking the low road in this debate in pursuit of easy political points, and with the Liberals for failing to lock in emission reductions from industry after a good portion of the public has thrown its support behind the carbon tax.

So Mr Campbell: we need you to reprise your call to action from the spring of 2007. Defend your carbon tax. Confront scepticism, address legitimate concerns, provide support where needed, and push forward on achieving emission reductions from families, businesses and industry simultaneously.

If we are to meet the ambitious goals you have set for the province, you will have to persuade all citizens of their importance, and get everyone working in the same direction.

To do that, you will have to be bold, honest, and courageous enough to demand the best from all of us.

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