Since 2007, Australians have been promised legislation to limit carbon emissions and help the government go green. With the Labor party’s election win, the new government proceeded to establish green regulations. However, the bill, known as the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, was not passed due to preference for a simple tax plan on carbon. The environment was a big issue in 2010 and, due to the need for support from the Green party, a fixed-price carbon tax commencing on July 1st, 2012, was established. This bill has been controversial but there is not question that it will have a major effect on Australian carbon emissions.
This green move by Australia’s government is only one of many worldwide government regulations and laws that have been passed to help the environment. All around the globe, we’ve seen different versions of the Carbon Tax or other green policies, such as anti-dumping laws and other similar regulations. For example, New Zealand has had an Emissions Trading Scheme in place since 2008 as a way to help the country comply with the international regulations that were set in Kyoto.
Europe has also been at the forefront of the green regulation for a long time. Some countries that have energy taxes similar to the Carbon Tax include the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Norway, The Netherlands, Italy, Ireland, Germany, Denmark, and Finland. Although there is still not a uniform Carbon Tax in any of these countries, they still have restrictions on various kinds of fuels in order to limit emissions and help halt global warming.
The main problem with pollution is that it requires a worldwide response since air, water, and other pollutants do not respect national borders. From wildlife conservation to the limitation of atmospheric and marine pollution, protecting the environment requires international treaties and cooperation among nations. Since 1972, these kinds of laws have been tried to be established by the United Nations. Finding ways to encourage sustainable development have been among the most important issues to address worldwide.
Even China, a country that traditionally has had a dismal record with the environment, has started work to develop an important environmental law framework, although implementation still leaves a lot to be desired. However, with China’s strong investment in green technology for the future, it is probable that China will start to take the lead in these kinds of issues in the future. Meanwhile, the United States has historically been at the forefront of the development of green regulations, although it has often been criticized for a number of problems, such as over-regulation and external imposition.
About The Author
This article was brought to you by Jack. Jack worked in the legal industry for many years, he is now semi-retired and is a content writer for lawyers.com.au.