After committing to scrapping the ban on thermal generation and reviewing the ETS, John Key has discussed carbon tax as a market alternative. An adoption from the Greens, this policy would continue Key’s move to the centre. Overseas, it has been applied as a direct tax, affecting the pockets of road-users. The Workers Party opposes all measures that punish the consumer, as with GST, tax on cigarettes and the proposed levy on plastic bags.
More degradation occurs at production than consumption, and consumers have little influence over production. We must change the mode of production itself, so that it serves need rather than profit.
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Its interesting, environmental degradation is a burden that falls on those least responsible, such as people in the third world, but when “solutions” such as taxing consumption are brought in, again there is a burden that falls most heavily on the poor (regressive taxes mean the less money you have the bigger percentage of your income goes on tax)