This week saw the publication of a report into the potential impacts of climate change on the planet. Summarised: ‘we’re all doomed’. Predictably this has resulted in the sudden interest in ‘green taxes’ on everything from industry to air travel.

Richmond Council are planning a so-called green tax for parking in the area – drive a 4 x 4 and pay lots, drive a small car and pay less. However, as far as I can see, this is actually going be – ‘everyone pays more and 4 x 4 drivers will pay most’. It also appears that only drivers of 3 cars will actually be paying less – the Insight and Prius (both around £18k or more1) and the Smart diesel (not, as far as I am aware available in the UK, and also worth noting the 650cc petrol version doesn’t qualify2). Once again this seems to be price gouging using environmental issues as something to hide behind. Notwithstanding the fact that not all the money raised is put back into the environment.

For once it would be nice to see the government use incentives to encourage change. ‘You will be worse off if you drive a polluting car’ becomes ‘you will be better off if you charge to a less polluting model’ They should be offering big subsidies so that hybrids are affordable and not limited to rich people trying to show of how green they are.

  1. I am not sure how the embodied energy of a hybrid compares to a conventional car, but those batteries are going to be a problem in 10 years time ↑
  2. Setting the bar so low only three or four models quality is a nice way to appear green while actually ripping off nearly everybody ↑

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