The EU’s Carbon Tariffs Could Make Pollution Worse
Europe’s plan to impose a tax on imports made with too much dirty energy may work in the long run, but the short-term impact will be negative.
The right way to get greener.
Photographer: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg
There is a right and a wrong way to encourage the world to use greener energy. Unfortunately, the European Union’s move toward a carbon tax on imports — essentially a tariff on products made using too much dirty energy — is the latter.
Importers would have to register to receive authorization to import goods, and they would pay a tax per ton of carbon dioxide produced. These fees are intended to match those already applied within the EU, which are currently about 90 euros per ton. The policy is also intended to place EU industry on a more competitive footing and encourage foreign countries to adopt greener energy policies.