Not that I'm a big fan of flying, but it is more economically sensible to tax where substitutes are readily available. For example, coal fired power stations can be replaced by wind. I suggest that we move this discussion off list, it's not geoeng.
I note United Airlines? are trialling biofuel planes, and I note further that biofuels may have a higher net carbon impact than fossil fuels. A 2009/5/9 Stephen Salter <[email protected]> > Hi All > > It might be possible to fly without releasing carbon. The attached > paper suggest how this might work. > > Stephen > > Emeritus Professor of Engineering Design > School of Engineering and Electronics > University of Edinburgh > Mayfield Road > Edinburgh EH9 3JL > Scotland > tel +44 131 650 5704 > fax +44 131 650 5702 > Mobile 07795 203 195 > [email protected] > http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/~shs > > > Sam Carana wrote: > > A cap-and-trade scheme would make flights more expensive. However, I > > doubt that this would reduce the emissions caused by aviation. It's > > typically the rich that fly airplanes. The poor don't fly long > > distances a lot. Apart from the rich, there are other sectors such as > > government bureacrats, diplomats and the military that don't respond > > well to price incentives. Additionally, aviation is a growth industry. > > > > The best way to tackle the problem is therefore to impose fees on > > fossil fuel and use the proceeds to fund carbon-negative activities, > > such as air capture and improving land usage (biochar, afforestation, > > etc). This will have the double impact of discouraging the use of > > fossil fuel, while at the same time encouraging carbon-negative > > activities, which makes the overall policy doubly effective. > > > > In conclusion, aviation seems a good place to start with fees tied to > > funding of carbon-negative activities. At UN climate talks in Bonn, > > the world's poorest nations proposed a levy of about $6 on every > > flight (excluding air freight). The levy could raise up to $10 billion > > per year and would increase the average price of an international > > long-haul fare by less than 1% for standard class passengers, but up > > to $62 for people traveling first class, according to a report in the > > Guardian. > > > http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/apr/06/aviation-climate-change-tax > > > > In the light of those amounts, it doesn't seem unreasonable to expect > > that fees imposed on conventional jet fuel could raise billions per > > year. Proceeds could then be used to fund rebates on air capture of > > carbon dioxide, which could be pumped into the bags on location to > > enhance algae growth. Air capture devices could be powered by surplus > > energy from offshore wind turbines. With the help of such funding, the > > entire infrastructure could be set up quickly, helping the > > environment, creating job opportunities, making the US less dependent > > on oil imports, while leaving us with more land and water to grow > > food, resulting in lower food prices. > > http://my.nowpublic.com/environment/funding-co2-air-capture > > > > Cheers! > > Sam Carana > > > > > > > > > > > -- > The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in > Scotland, with registration number SC005336. > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
