Taxation an acceptable way to get better climate?
László Kovács, the European commissioner for taxation, hopes that taxes can help saving the environment. He has said that, taxation should in the first place discourage what is undesirable, rewarding at the same time all sorts of positive behaviour.
There has been a consultation on market-based instruments for the environment earlier this year. Later this year there will come a report on the contributions received from the consultation and proposals for action in 2008. The most well-known market mechanism so far is the pan-European Emission Trading Scheme which was launched in January 2005. It is mostly the northern countries like Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany, UK and the Netherlands which has promoted a “green tax shift” so far. Some business organisations are negative in general to new taxes and regulations but there are also organisations in favour for taxations as a fair way in achieve a shift towards less emissions of greenhouse gases.

Eat locally!
On average, our food travels quite far before it ends up on our plates. The locavores are a group of people that are making an effort to eat only foods grown or harvested within a 100 miles radius of San Francisco for an entire month. They recognize that the choices they make about what foods they choose to eat are important politically, environmentally, economically, and healthfully. In 2005, they challenged people from the bay area (and all over the world) to eat within a 100 mile radius of their home during the month of August. In 2007 they extended the challenge to September. What food grows in your region in the fall? I think, taking up the challenge, is a nice way of paying attention to the food sources you have. It gives you a nice feeling to harvest the potatos you ahve grown on your own land.

You can read more about people blogging at www.eatlocalchallange.com and learn about their locavores experience.

Sales returns of Green cars in Sweden
In September 4 242 green cars were registered in Sweden, which is 17, 8 % of the sales. This should be compared with last years September sales returns of 12, 9 %. The most sold green car in Sweden, so far this year is the Saab 9-5 BioPower. Perhaps every 5:th sold car will be a green car by the end of the year?

ICAO stops the suggested European system for emission trade in aviation.
The International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, met on the 28: Th of September and agreed amongst other things that market-based options are valuable tools for addressing aircrafts emissions. A majority of the delegations felt, however, that States should not apply emissions trading system to the airlines of other States except pursuant of mutual agreement.
The assembly also recognised the tremendous work that ICAO has been doing over the years for mitigating the impact of aviation on the environment! Hmmm, have they?