Free Riding on Carbon Emissions

Canada's environment minister says that he won't sign climate treaty without the United States inclusion. His justification: reducing Carbon emissions unilaterally would hurt the economy without significantly reducing global warming. From cbc.ca

Canada's environment minister has dismissed the notion of signing a climate-change treaty without the United States, saying it would handicap the Canadian economy without reversing greenhouse gas emissions.

As the world gathers in Bali, Indonesia, to work toward a successor treaty to the Kyoto Protocol, the Americans are already making it clear they will not submit to binding emissions targets.

In an interview with the Canadian Press, John Baird said Canada hopes to reach a deal within two years — but only if it applies targets for the first time to all major polluters.

He used a military analogy to suggest that Canada would be handicapping its economy by adopting environmental restrictions without being followed by its closest neighbour and trading partner.

My first question is if you raise a tax on carbon emisions and then lower tax on everything else how does that hurt the eocnomy? My other question is if Canada can't have an effect on global warming, why do anything even if you have the United States on board. The best strategy for Canada would be to talk a lot about global warming but not actually reduce emissions....oh wait...that's what they are doing. Get the full version here