Guest essay by Eric Worrall
h/t Dr. Willie Soon; The new President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has threatened to impose import duties on China unless they implement a domestic Chinese carbon tax.
Davos 2020: Ursula von der Leyen warns China to price carbon or face tax
Commission president sets out Brussels’ plan for CO2 border adjustment mechanism
Mehreen Khan in Brussels and Gideon Rachman in Davos YESTERDAY
Ursula von der Leyen has warned China and other large fossil fuel producers to find a way to price carbon at home or risk being hit by the EU with a planned CO2 tax on imports.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, the president of the European Commission laid out Brussels’ plan to set up a carbon border adjustment mechanism that would hit importers from countries that do not respect international climate goals.
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“There is no point in only reducing greenhouse gas emissions at home, if we increase the import of CO2 from abroad,” Ms von der Leyen told delegates at Davos. “It is not only a climate issue; it is also an issue of fairness towards our businesses and our workers. We will protect them from unfair competition.”
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“If this turns into a global trend, we will have a global level playing field where no carbon border tax will be necessary,” said Ms von der Leyen.
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Speaking in Davos, Prince Charles, the heir to the UK throne, backed higher carbon taxes to “reverse perverse subsidies and improve incentives for sustainable alternatives”.
He said: “It is time to level the playing field and to think about how we properly deploy taxes, policies and regulations in a way that catalyses sustainable markets.”
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“We simply cannot waste any more time,” he said. “The only limit is our willingness to act and the time to act is now.”
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Read more: https://www.ft.com/content/c93694c8-3d15-11ea-a01a-bae547046735
Ursula von der Leyen is a deep green, who has advocated for a European version of the Green New Deal. Brexit leader Nigel Farage has accused Ursula of being a hardline communist. Farage was the only British political leader to throw his wholehearted support behind President Trump’s campaign in 2016, and shared the platform with President Trump during the campaign.
Before key Merkel ally Ursula von der Leyen parachuted to safety as the new head of the European Commission, effectively the EU’s central executive committee, she was struggling with answering difficult questions in Germany over the accidental wiping of mobile phone evidence relating to her alleged awarding of large defence contracts to external consultants without proper oversight.
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The very same lady signed the EU death warrant today, The Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. We leave a week today with 11 months transition period. They will miss our £11BN Annual contribution to their financial blackhole to fund EU vanity projects. Others will follow us over the next few years.
That helps explain the latest money hunt to fill the hole.
son of mulder
don’t forget the 90 billion annual trade deficit we have with them. hopefully we will use that as a very strong bargaining chip
tonyb
And the Chinese are stupid? Nope. I’m sure the denizens of the EU will enjoy more taxes. At least this time they won’t directly see them.
If the release of CO2 into the atmosphere really is a danger, then demanding China and India implement reductions in their own output of this gas is essential, we either all do it or it is not going to do any good. However this aim remains subject to the clear doubt that a single trace gas somehow magically controls the earth’s climate. Yes, it is an influence, but how much remains uncertain. Instead the decision by the EU to consider imposing penalties seems more about the economic threats China poses to Europe’s economy. I think they will find that China is not concerned, they have all they wanted from the west in terms of technological and economic aid, they are now spreading out into the world and succeeding in gaining access to whatever they need by bribery and other forms of persuasion. Europe has weakened itself through its disastrous migrant policies, becoming now vulnerable to internal social breakdown, the economy will be the least of its problems in the coming years.
I was thinking about this the other day after buying some furniture. I found that the wood came from France or the USA, it was shipped to China for the furniture to be made, and then shipped to the UK to be sold. There you see the ridiculous aspect of globalisation, and the way in which it destroys home industries while causing pollution. No need to make China impose a carbon tax, even if you could. Just apply a mileage tax, I suggest.
That stops the endless gravy train and Loydo’s free money .. keep that idea to yourself.
Say goodbye to the German export engine, Airbus sales, and various luxury priced goods.
So the European Commission President has a brain that allows her to believe a previously undeveloped and now rapidly developing nation that has acquired new wealth, a better standard of living and and a much healthier and longer lived population is going to be willing to join her on the road to economic suicide because the EU says so. I thought hallucinogens had become passé but not apparently in the halls of the highly undemocratic apparatus of the EU. Somehow it makes sense to EU bureaucrats to ask people who are just solving must of life’s major challenges to return to poverty, privation and pain, just so the EU misfits can go to lovely soft beds feeling good about saving the world from a fraction of a degree of global warming. And this they do without a hint of guilt or empathy for those they will harm.
First there was the VAT tax and various rate increases to the breaking point then along came the innovation of climate emergency to tax the US eCommerce giants, China imports, and all flights coming into fortress Europe. The new Iron Curtain is spun with gold and run by EU committees.
I have a solution to the EU China trade issue: Remove all carbon taxis and don’t build more Green industrial destruction in the EU. It will at least help on the trade deficit.
Maybe Trump could give private lessons to von der Leyen for a small fee 🙂
Frau von der Leyen is no stranger to controversy. She was accused of plagiarism in her PhD, and whilst a university commission confirmed that she had failed to properly cite the sources for much of the material in her dissertation, it determined that the omissions weren’t intentional and didn’t undermine her central thesis.
Hmmm. Politics, anyone?
She presided over the decay of the German military whilst a minister,
and then gets ‘appointed’ to be President of the EU Commission.
So, a failed minister with a penchant for cut-n-paste, gets to be the most powerful official in the EU, and starts making demands of China.
On whose behalf? Did anyone vote for such a policy? Thought not.
Boy, am I glad we’re leaving the EU.
The eco-farcists really do want to control the whole world.
She presided over the decay of the German military whilst a minister,
But, but, but… the Army has kindergartens now in their caserns !!
😀 😀 😀
Don’t be blindsided.
VDL has the EU Defense Union on full steam ahead, and London has opted in. Brexit changes nothing of that.
British defense has been, just like Germany, hollowed out, preparing the way for Brussels procurement, and chain of command.
Now notice NATO’s Operation Defender-Europe 2020 . Forces including Germany will operate along the Russian Border, and that during the 75th WWII ceremonies. NATO and the EU Defrnse Union claim parallel tracks, so what is going on? Has BoJo betrayed Britain?
Instead of this obvious Great Game, of Mackinder folly, the Belt and Road Initiative is essential.
One can see VDL’s London School of Economics (her Alma Mater) greenwashing.
VDL could become a huge liability….
“Defence” contracts? What, was she “Building a wall” too?
When carbon tax came up in Washington/US, a’Blue’ state, it was voted down. Even California can’t get a carbon tax initiated. That lets you know what the people really think about AGW despite the media hype.
Well… California does have a carbon tax…. 60 cents a gallon on gasoline assessed at the refiner level… so they get to charge sales tax on the 60cents at the pump as well… and it all gets blamed on the evil gas companies.
This was was our concern for years. As the EU went down the rabbit hole of economically destructive green policies it would have to export them. In this case China the USA and India should stand together. It’s not our preference but the EU will eventually be treated like The USSR and Mayos China. Very limited trade by design.
The US cannot allow the failed policies of the EU to be forced on us.
Exactly how is this different from a tariff? Inquiring minds want to know!
[Um…didn’t you know, all the kewl kids say “Asking for a friend.” “Inquiring minds want to know” is so boomer. 🙂 -mod]
-mod
OK Doomer.
domestic Chinese carbon tax. 😐 why is everything concerning “climate scam” a tax?
I know it is old and tired, but…
“Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
A few years ago the EU also threatened international airlines with a carbon tax on their fuel. China said they wouldn’t pay and ordered Chinese carriers to not pay. The EU quickly backtracked and scrapped it.
I expect many extraterritorial type actions like this would not get very far when brought before the WTO which carries rather more weight than all the silliness agreed in Paris. After all, didn’t that agreement end in China “agreeing” to continue raising emissions until 2030 or whenever they feel like stopping, which ever one comes last?
This seems like another EU bureaucrat trying it on. They periodically run a ridiculous idea up the flagpole and see if anybody salutes it. I think that’s how they justify the existence of their job.
So Meghan’s brother in law, a prince, the very embodiment of the term elitist, The man who will be King, says:
““We simply cannot waste any more time,” in doing what? Why raising taxes of course.
Something he never has to worry about paying is something we all have to do without one clear plan on how raising taxes will enable the governments of the world to control the climate which varies natuarlly.
Prince Pookie, I mean Chuckie also said: “It is time to level the playing field…” Do you think he means that he is going to lower the Royals to our level? Nah me neither. So what exactly is he leveling and how does he intend to sacrifice so that the rest of us will know that he is a team player?
F me the hypocrisy of these people is absolutely staggering.
Its a virtue signalling smoke screen.
With the USA and China maybe coming to some agreement over trade, the EU has to do something or be overwhelmed by Chinese goods that may seek better terms than those that the US/China deal turns out to impose.
Trouble is, Consumers, whatever their location like cheap toys, so rather than risk the ire of their folk, or to sweeten the pill, the EU is trying to clad trade protection with the mantle of saving the planet.
So how is Saint Ursula or anyone else in the EU going to figure out how much CO2 emissions went into the manufacture of a sweater or iPhone Made in China (or anywhere else)?
The European Union doesn’t have much reserves of coal or oil, so they’re just jealous of countries who do…
Ready, Aim at foot, Fire!
Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the UK is probably wondering why he needs to wait another week to leave the EU! Can’t get out fast enough!
If Prince Charles is on board with this, maybe that’s why Harry wants to run away to Canada with his American bride! But Charles probably won’t have much influence over Boris Johnson and Parliament…
So not going to happen.
One phone call from that nice Mr Xi to his friend Vladimir and the EU electricity grid falls over. Natural gas taps can be turned off amazingly quickly.
Well it’s a logical development; except the EU nations I believe allowed China its free pass. But it’s the EU, proving it to be deceptive and villainous, just as the Brits experienced and now have liberated themselves from.
This tax concept fails the economics 101 sniff test.
Countries with a CO2 tax will pass on the higher price as part of their exported product. Countries without a CO2 tax get the EU adding it on their side. Will this really make a difference ?
Of course the end result of this tax will be higher prices for EU consumers and this will lead to more inflation and reduced economic growth. In the case of the EU, they already have zero GDP growth and this regressive measure will only further damage their fragile economies. These people really have no idea about economic management. If they took note of Trump’s high USA growth strategy they might learn a few tricks, but alas ideology is a curse that blinds people from reality.
Europeans Pooh poohed Reagan at his first G7. Thatcher of course being the happy exception. Mitterrand was particularly harsh in assessment of the Hollywood dope. 3 years later the same jackwads were telling their people they needed to reform their economies to be more like America. We went from strength to strength. I am an immigrant from Germany. We had a cold water government flat. The trailer in Texas was like a palace to Me and my brothers. Why would we follow these folks.
Didn’t read all the comments so I hope I’m not repeating: How stupid is their EU person? They are asking a communist government to tax their businesses with a carbon tax. WTH? Either they will produce fake numbers to show what they are doing or they will charge the tax and give it back under the table. This stupid person is asking the Chinese govt to tax themselves!!! She level of stupidity doesn’t surprise me but it does sadden me. The EU is done.
Jack,
If you were looking for “stupid” then the EU Commission is the place to find it.
Take fishing as a prime example.. The waters around the UK particularly the North Sea were teaming with fish in 1973 when the UK, which owns most of the Territorial fishing waters containing the fish, handed without payment or thank you the rights to fish UK waters to the EEC/EU as part of membership terms.
During the following years, the waters that were previously policed by the UK Navy were a free for al. Vast Trawlers were introduced to take the fish from Spain and Holland. The UKs small fishing vessels that maintained an environmental balance with the sea they fished, were scrapped and the industry of fishing disappeared from the UK.
The lunacy didn’t stop there. When it became obvious an ecologic disaster was unfolding in the North Sea, measures controlling fishing particularly Cod fish were introduced. This involved not being allowed to land fish that wee on the control program and limiting the days a vessel could fish. The result was even bigger Trawlers and the controlled catch species were simply dumped at sea…. wasted!! The EU has no idea how to control anything, other than how to control peoples’ freedom to do the right things, in the right way.
So maybe the true CO2 cost of the solar panels will be shown in the tariff pricing of those coal-fired photovoltaics. Heh, can’t wait to see how they pull this off!