Literally. French President Jacques Chirac warned the U.S. (and other countries) that a carbon tax would be levied on traded goods coming from countries who have failed to sign the Kyoto Protocol (and future climate change agreements).
This is significant because the European Union, of which France is strongly a part of, is the largest export market of American goods. That means loads of dollars in taxes and less money for American business. This is a bold move by Chirac and a real threat to the American trading class. But, given Chirac’s record, I highly doubt this is a bluff:
Mr. Chirac’s critics say that despite his comments in support of environmental measures, his record as president is far from green. He angered environmentalists across the globe when he conducted nuclear tests in a Pacific atoll within months of coming into office in 1995. He has been a loyal ally of French farmers and their pollution-causing practices, blocking some proposed Europe-wide reforms.
According to Chirac, “a carbon-tax is inevitable.”
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Clearly, those of us in the US must do all in our power to reduce our country’s greenhouse emissions, at any level of government possible. Please, anyone, check out the website for the Oregon Cities Climate Solutions Network, http://www.occsn.blogspot.com, which is trying to do just that in Oregon.