In five years time, every adult in the UK could have an equal carbon allowance to buy electricity and fuel with. This would help us play our part as an industrial nation in bringing global carbon dioxide emissions down rapidly to a relatively safe level.
Produced by Phil England for Climate Radio http://www.climateradio.co.uk Please drop me an email if you rebroadcast this programme: phil [at] switch-online.co.uk
In a follow-up to last week's interview with Mayer Hillman (the original proponent of the scheme), Phil England puts some of your concerns and questions about carbon rationing (or tradeable energy quotas) to Richard Starkey of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. How does Mayer Hillman's scheme differ from David Fleming's? How does personal carbon trading compare to a carbon tax? Would the scheme make people more carbon conscious? Would the scheme allow the rich to continue their energy profligate lifestyles? Is there a danger that the scheme could be weakened by allowing carbon offsetting? Would the scheme be too expensive? Would the scheme encourage a black market? How could energy used in the manufacture of products be accounted for? Under the part of the scheme that relates to corporations would buy-out clauses such as the problematic Clean Development Mechanism be included which would render the scheme ineffective?