Pirate's Cove

Once again, I’ll say that the fossil fuels companies should refuse to sell their products to the jackwads coming after them

Fossil fuel firms may have to pay for climate damage under proposed UN tax

Fossil fuel companies could be forced to pay some of the price of their damage to the climate, and the ultra-rich subjected to a global wealth tax, if new tax rules are agreed under the UN.

Negotiations on a planned global tax treaty will resume at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday, with dozens of countries supporting stronger rules that would make polluters pay for the impact of their activities.

But developing countries are worried the current draft of the proposals is too weak, and want more robust backing from the rich world. Clear proposals on taxing the profits of fossil fuel companies have been watered down in their language, and proposals for a global asset registry that would help in taxing wealthy individuals have been removed from the text.

Marlene Nembhard Parker, main delegate for Jamaica at the negotiations for the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation, said: “In the context of Hurricane Melissa, which wiped the equivalent of 40% off our GDP overnight, it is time that the draft template text on sustainable development gets fleshed out. A much clearer link now needs to be made to environmental taxation and climate change, with clearer agreements on the actions that must be taken, nationally and internationally, particularly for the countries and industries who are most responsible.”

Oh. So it’s all a shakedown. Without fossil fuels no one would be going to Jamaica. The flights and cruise ships to get there, the vehicles to move people around, air conditioning, food, products, and so much more. People who use a ton of fossil fuels want to make it more expensive for other people, and, let’s be honest, most of the people who push these taxes are rich, and often have taxpayers pick up the tab for their travel.