Some comments from the linked article:
| It is hard to say which is scarier—apocalyptic global warming scenarios or the economic impact of some of the proposals designed to prevent them. A recent European Environment Agency (EEA) study reported that greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles continue to rise due to increased driving, despite heavy motor fuel taxes that boost prices above $6.00 per gallon. Even with gas prices that are more than two times those in the U.S., Europe is falling short of its global warming goals. If $6.00 a gallon gas is not high enough to discourage European drivers, then what would it take to make U.S. drivers cut back? Those who support legislative efforts like increased gas taxes to combat global warming should come clean to the American people about their proposals' likely impacts on Americans' wallets. |
Emphasis added. While I applaud the thought that Mr. Lieberman is conveying, I expect that the average politician would never come clean with U.S. citizens on anything they have in mind. Doing so would be political suicide, despite the examples that a certain little jug-eared wannabe politician, nay several time IT company founder, Ross Perot may have tried in the past.
Fact of the matter is that, as Mr. Lieberman's comments continue and point out, raising gasoline taxes here in the U.S.A. and putting the money towards the environment, and further hoping that the raises in gasoline taxes would help encourage U.S. citizens to cut back on driving, is wishful thinking.
Face it, in Europe, where most people are driving what U.S. citizens would call econo-boxes, people continue to drive, continue to consume gasoline, and continue to have those vehicles belching carbon and other exhaust (greenhouse) gases.
More from the original article here:
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The nations comprising the European Union (EU) signed on to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, the multilateral treaty to combat global warming by reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Under this agreement, they are required to reduce their emissions 8 percent below 1990 levels by 2008. The U.S. has not ratified the treaty, due to concerns over compliance costs and the exemptions granted to China, India, and other developing nations.
Gasoline taxes were higher in Europe than the U.S. even before Kyoto and currently average nearly $4.00 per gallon, bringing the pump price well above $6.00.[1] In comparison, gasoline in the U.S. is subject to federal taxes of 18.4 cents per gallon and varying state and local taxes, for a total of 42 cents per gallon on average. The current average price for regular gas in the U.S. is $2.58 per gallon. |
See those numbers? We are talking about gasoline taxes in the EU being nearly 10 times higher than those in the U.S.A. and even still people in the EU are driving more, or at least exhausting even more than ever. In fact, read on:
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The British, Germans, French, Belgians, Dutch, and Italians are now shelling out $6.55, $6.45, $6.21, $6.44, $7.09, and $6.24 per gallon, respectively, for premium gas.[2] Nonetheless, they are driving more, not less. According to EEA's "Transport and Environment: On The Way To A New Common Transport Policy," miles driven and driving-related carbon emissions are on the rise. "Emissions have increased continuously both for passenger transport (increase of 27% from 1990 to 2004) and for freight transport (increase of 51% between 1990 and 2003)," the report concludes.
Although this outcome has stumped policymakers, it is not irrational. Joel Schwartz, visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, believes that "despite the costs of owning and operating an automobile, people choose automobiles the world over because no other form of transportation comes anywhere close to providing comparable speed, flexibility, privacy, and convenience."[3] Even at $6.00 per gallon, many Europeans—whose per capita incomes are lower than those in the U.S.—are willing to cut back on other things rather than cut back on driving.
Most EU nations are not on track to meet their Kyoto targets because of increasing carbon emissions, and "the main reason for increases between 1990 and 2004 was growing road transport demand," notes EEA. EEA expects the upward trend in driving to continue.
But sharp declines would be needed for the Europeans to have any chance of coming into compliance with Kyoto. "We cannot deal with the increasing GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions…without dealing with the increasing traffic across the spectrum: on our roads and railways, in the air and by sea," says Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director of the EEA. |
So, basically the Euros recognize that they can't meet their requirements under Kyoto and that their citizens just won't stop using cars and trucks to get where they want (or get things where they want). Raising taxes, even on people that can ill afford those increases, isn't stopping the demand for driving.
Some U.S. politicians want to follow the European model, increase the taxes and drive down demand for driving. While it may work for a short while, it won't last. We're seeing it even now. Gasoline prices have spiked back up and yet demand isn't dropping.
Worst still, demand for gasoline might drop, thanks to the use of more fuel efficient vehicles (hybrids and such), but then the government faces a double whammy. They lose the tax revenue they are counting on (for fixing roads and other things) and the citizens that buy these more fuel efficient vehicles remain wasteful in their driving habits because, like a dieter that goes on a binge, they feel that they can treat themselves for the good behavior.
Are you glad that the U.S. isn't participating in Kyoto? You should be.
