Pretty much every country in Europe has higher taxes on gasoline than Canada. And increasing energy costs are a big driver of inflation in Europe.
The costs imposed by decarbonization are becoming a major political issue.
Quote:
Expensive petrol, heating and electricity have helped foment a backlash against policies to fight climate change, which the hard right has seized on. This began in France with the gilets jaunes movement in late 2018, initially a protest against a carbon-tax hike on motor fuel. The afd’s rise this year was touched off by a proposed government ban on oil and gas boilers in homes. In the Netherlands the Farmer-Citizen Movement (bbb), a new populist party, began as a farmers’ protest against nitrogen-emission limits. It won an astounding 20% of the vote in regional elections in March.
https://www.economist.com/briefing/2...ll-over-europe
|
As decarbonization measures start to bite voters, managing the political backlash has become a serious challenge to governments across the developed world. Macron backed down on the petrol tax increases. Germany has already deferred its ban on oil and gas boilers. And the Dutch agriculture minister resigned in the face of the nitrogen policy backlash.