Japanese Gov't Backs Away from New Carbon Tax http://www.greencarcongress.com
Japan is one of the signatories of the Kyoto treaty, and was the host of the 1997 UN convention on climate control, but its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are going in the wrong direction -- i.e., more emissions, not less. Instead of being on track to meet its reduction target of 6% below 1990 levels by 2010, Japan has seen its emissions rise to 8% above 1990 levels at the end of last year. To meet the Kyoto targets by 2010, Japan now will have to reduce emissions by 14% based on last year's rate. If emissions continue to climb, the amount of reduction would of course have to increase as well. The transportation sector accounts for an estimated fifth of the total. The Environment Ministry is responding with planned stricter emissions standards in October 2005, and last week announced a new carbon tax. One week later, the Environment Ministry has decided to give up the planned implementation of the carbon tax in favor of "more discussion." (Japan Today) The tax as originally conceived would have levied a surcharge on processors and importers of fossil fuels of 3,400´ ($32) per ton of carbon, the surcharge presumably to be passed on to consumers. Internal opposition to that amount pushed it down to 2,400´/ton ($23). Consumers would have paid approximately 1.5´ ($0.014) extra per liter of gasoline, according to the ministry. The average annual burden on households would have come to approximately 3,000´ ($28). (The Japan Times) Industry opposed to green tax Nov 11, 2004 http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=feature&id=784 _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://wwia.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/biofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuel archives at Infoarchive.net (searchable): http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/biofuel/
