A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE IN OUR HANDS - To Parent Directory

Cross-cutting policies074Taxing energy consumption instead of people’s incomes, sellingthe right to emit greenhouse gases – both are key weapons in thebattle against climate change. And both have an important conceptin common: polluter pays.Making the polluter pay works on two levels. Wasteful or environmentallydamaging behaviour is penalised so people are encouragedto look for alternatives and, while they do so, the pollution theyproduce earns the exchequer money. This revenue can then beploughed back into research or used to fund projects.Throughout the Union, countries are applying the idea of taxingpollution in a variety of ways: Denmark and Finland tax tyres,Denmark, Iceland and Italy tax plastic bags, France taxes paperand cardboard.While countries find ways to both limit pollution and raise revenuefrom it at the same time, business and organisations are also workingtowards sustainable practices. Here the notions of ‘polluter pays’is taking off as companies come under the influence of consumerpressure and legislation to become greener. Some are leading theway, voluntarily changing the way they conduct their business.Paying for the emissions they cause is growing in importance forthe business community. Phrases like ‘carbon off-sets’ or ‘carbontradingschemes’ sometimes crop up, and will do so more frequentlyin the future. Charging money for the production of carbon meansthinking of this greenhouse gas like any other commodity. Youpay a certain amount and that buys you the right to produce acertain amount.Money is coming directly from the EU through the funding ofprogrammes such as LIFE+ which runs until 2013. With a budgetof around €2bn, the programme co-finances environmental initiativesthroughout the Union and in some bordering countries. Itbrings together a variety of programmes, grouping them under asingle set of rules. Decision-making becomes more efficient andthe whole procedure more transparent. 20-25% of the money willbe put towards raising public awareness on sustainable developmentissues.With such large budgets, funding that the EU puts forward needsto be channelled to ensure it promotes sustainable development.EU countries and the Commission will be coordinating various