France Launches Carbon Tax in 2010

Sarkozy Launches Carbon Tax to Help 'Save the Human Race'

~ French president vows to lead fight against global warming with tax to encourage cuts in fossil fuel consumption ~

Nicolas Sarkozy today vowed to lead the fight to "save the human race" from global warming, launching a carbon tax to encourage French families and industry to cut their use of fossil fuels.

From 2010, France will become the biggest European economy to levy a carbon tax, following other successful schemes introduced by Nordic countries in the 1990s...

As part of a drive to combat global warming, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, on Thursday, announced plans to impose a new carbon tax next year on oil, gas and coal...

Although the tax will apply to oil, gas and coal, it will not apply to electricity.

Sarkozy argued that, with 80% of electricity produced in France coming from nuclear plants – which have low emissions – it would make no sense to increase the price of this form of power...

Revenues from the new tax will however be put back into taxpayers' pockets through other tax cuts and "green cheques", the French president assured.

The plan will make France the biggest economy in Europe to impose a carbon tax on households and businesses.

Finland was the first European country to impose a carbon tax, in 1990, followed a year later by Sweden and later Denmark...

In a speech peppered with warnings about the need for France to take the lead in fighting climate change, Sarkozy said: "There are no reserves left. It's a question of survival of the human race."

He said his aim was to change French habits to prepare for a post-petrol economy, reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and tax people for actions that were damaging to society.


for complete articles:
Sarkozy Launches Carbon Tax to Help 'Save the Human Race'
2009-09-10
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/10/sarkozy-carbon-tax-france

French carbon tax from 2010
2009-09-10
http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=2075