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This petition was submitted during the 2019 to 2024 Parliament

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Closed Introduce a carbon tax

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The government should introduce a tax on all commodities and activities that emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. For example, there should be a tax on flying by plane etc.

The government should do this to help the fight against climate change. As the price of carbon-emitting activities increase, the consumption of such products should decrease, which should cause more people to shift to renewable energy. This could greatly reduce the carbon footprint of the UK.

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  • Related activity

    Government respond to report on prioritising the climate and nature in post-covid recovery

    The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) published the Government's response to their report, "Growing back better: putting nature and net zero at the heart of the economic recovery."

    In its report the EAC put forward a number of recommendations stressing the need for the economic recovery from covid-19 to be addressed in tandem with prioritising environmental priorities on climate change and nature recovery.

    In a response to the report, the Government confirmed that the National Infrastructure Bank—set up to finance infrastructure projects across the UK—will be a public institution on a permanent basis. They have committed to reviewing the case for broadening the Bank’s mandate to include improving the UK’s natural capital, before bringing forward legislation to put the Bank on a statutory footing.

    The Government response includes responses to the Committee’s recommendations on:

    • Transport infrastructure and nature recovery 
    • Homes and energy efficiency
    • Industry, particularly carbon border adjustments
    • Investment in nature
    • VAT reductions
    • Green finance

    Read a summary of the Government response:
    https://committees.parliament.uk/work/306/greening-the-postcovid-recovery/news/156038/government-accepts-eac-recommendation-for-national-infrastructure-bank-to-be-permanent-with-possible-future-focus-on-nature-recovery/

    Read the full Government response:
    https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5802/cmselect/cmenvaud/327/32702.htm

    Read the Committee's report:
    https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5801/cmselect/cmenvaud/347/34702.htm

    What is the Environmental Audit Committee?

    The Environmental Audit Committee is a cross-party group of MPs who look into how Government policies and departments contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development. The Committee is independent of the Government.

    Follow the Committee on Twitter for updates on its work:
    https://twitter.com/CommonsEAC

    The Environmental Audit Committee is a select committee. Find out how Select Committees work:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c

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    If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

    If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    This petition will stay open until 3 February 2021.