Harold Forbes says the principle of polluter pays is rarely implemented; Jeremy Tomkinson calls for clear policy on lowering petrol emissions; Chris Tidmarsh laments the sparsity of electric-car charging points in Southwark and LambethYour article on carbon dioxide emissions from current vehicles (Fall in CO2 output from current cars goes into reverse,27 February) makes no mention of the eight-year freeze on fuel duty, which has contributed to UK fuel prices being 4% below their 2000 levels in genuine terms and 21% below the 2013 peak. The relative price of things is an enormously powerful driver of human choices and behaviour.
Dumping the economic assumption that nature is a limitless source of materials and services that can be considered to come for free would be the single biggest leap that humanity could make in securing its future. At present we have few monetary incentives to avoid excess greenhouse gas emissions, and single-expend plastics or even excess animal manure. In fact,the economy encourages us believe it is cheaper” to effect such things.
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Source: theguardian.com