Carbon Pollution from Industries - Case Study Example

IMC Plan for Carbon Tax Introduction /Background Information Governments impose a tax as a means to manage the country’s resources. They use the collected revenue to cater for national budgets, projects and wages to its employees. Taxes ensure that the government acquires stability in terms of financial resource. Taxes are useful because they assist the government to support the society in the form of public investments, such as internal security, hospitals and schools. Environmental protection is fundamental since all form of human kind relies on natural resources for survival. Carbon pollution from industries, burning of fossil fuels and aerosols threatens the existence of natural resources. A country has to ensure that sustainable development occurs so as to protect the future generation’s interests. Carbon emittants degrade the atmosphere by depleting the ozone layer, thus, creating a green house effect. The carbon tax charged by the government is a form of penalty to activities that result to negative effects in society. This means that the carbon tax caters for the social cost involved to clear up the mess created by the pollutants. The political factors of a country influence the impact of tax levied on carbon. Practices of influential organizations such as lobbying with government officials may lead to reduction in tax imposed. This makes it difficult for the laid out objectives to be accomplished due to a reduction of funds. It may also lead to a tax increment if the influential organizations argue out a negative utility on the clean-up cost. These factors make the level of production fluctuate, thus, emphasizing the necessity to create a uniform carbon tax. A target audience segment analysis; The target countries on which these carbon taxes should be implemented is those that utilize and emit carbon. This means that the whole world at large is a potential member state to the tax regulatory body. Countries with large carbon usage and emission fight against carbon taxation. They include United States of America, China and Russia, since they widely use carbon to produce electricity. The regulatory bodies implement the taxes indirectly through a common user practices such as motor vehicles. This is because it is challenging to identify the amount of carbon harm caused by individuals with regards to global warming, once the carbon is in the atmosphere. The countries involved pay taxes in accordance to carbon content. The countries which refute carbon taxes view it as a form of reducing production and job opportunities. The body in charge of carbon and energy taxes is the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Literature Review Global warming Global warming occurs due to o-zone layer depletion by several gases. Carbon dioxide released through human activities creates a significant contributor to o ozone layer depletion. The ozone layer protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet rays. Once the ozone layer erupts, the harmful UV-rays penetrate the earth, thus destroying crops and human health. There occurs a global warming due to the increment in waves. This causes climate to change in the long run. The drivers to climate change include decreased water levels, which in turn leads to poor sanitation levels. This will in the long run ensures that human health degrades. Global warming statistics record an increase in temperature by 0.8 degrees Celsius since the beginning of the 20th century. Assessment reports on increment in the ocean and atmospheric temperatures record a double effect for the 21st Century. Events such as rise in sea levels and global temperature follow due to green house effect. This mostly affects the arctic region where glaciers and permafrost melting occurs. All these events lead to the global warming controversy which exists in society by the media. This is because the issue of increased rates of temperatures in the future by humans or otherwise has to be accounted. A cost benefit analysis, of the most suitable method of controlling carbon emissions, has to occur to enable the government to choose a method that will not hinder production, but will ensure that carbon pollution decreases. Climate change Climatic changes occur after weather patterns of a region change with time. Climate change due to green-house gases such as carbon occurs mainly due to an increase in warming patterns. This means that the ability of regions to support their flora and fauna is likely to change overtime. Planting of different species to support the new weather conditions occurs, extremes such as drought and el-Niño rains also affect the yielding capacity of land. Carbon green-house effect is an example of human-induced climate change. This caused countries to join hands against it through the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. One policy designed so as to reduce green house gases emitted is the carbon tax. It is meant to be instituted in member countries so as to regulate climate change. A major concern of climate change is the fact that land temperatures increase at a rate that is twice as fast as the ocean temperatures. This happens together with the arctic warming faster than the southern hemisphere due to the nature of the lithosphere. Al countries should have a concern over green house gases such as carbon since they move along hemispheres through wind movement. Other factors that have lead to the introduction of the new tax Green house gases such as carbon persist in the atmosphere for long periods before degradation. This is because they react with other gases existent in the atmosphere to form compounds. Green house gas emissions depend on social, economic, natural and technological settings. Bearing in mind the extent of population growth that occurs per annum, then these factors should expand in the future, thus, creating additional harm. The factors influencing carbon emission are uncertain, thus, the necessity of implementing a carbon tax. This will ensure that if carbon emission into the atmosphere increases, then, an appropriate remedy will always be present. This will further ensure that natural resources remain protected through practicing sustainable development. It takes a lot of time and money to clean up carbon from the atmosphere. The introduction of a carbon tax will also prevent the future generation from wasting resources to clean up the mess created by carbon pollution. Communication objectives Developing an awareness In order to create a tax, it is important to consider people’s opinion regarding the best way to implement it. This is done through informing the society that the government intends to institute a carbon tax. The government aims at informing the whole society of the importance of implementing the tax. This will involve making people understand how the tax will be implemented, the people who will be affected and the reasons for instituting it. The population needs to understand what is global warming and how it occurs. Statistics collected through Gallup polls indicate that more than a third of the world is not aware of global warming and its causes. This prevails more in the poor communities than in the wealthy society. The carbon tax should be likely to affect the wealthy people in society such as motor vehicle owners and industries. The government aims at making them aware of the amount of carbon produced per fuel used to run the motor vehicle. The government should aim at formulating methods of communicating to the diverse members of the community. This can occur through formulating brochures and using the media to communicate the government plans to society. Societal support The IMC plan aims to achieve societal support in formulating the carbon tax. This is because the carbon consumers and emitters dwell in the society. It is important to ensure that a society remains democratic so as to promote peace and unity within the society. This will ensure that the tax implementation remains representative of the population. The societal opinion according to the people’s understanding of the carbon tax can be achieved. Involving the society in decision making will make the carbon tax rule more acceptable than dictatorship. The government aims at influencing the societal attitudes to tax policies through democratic methods. Or promoting knowledge The government aims at providing the society with knowledge regarding carbon, its effects to the environment and climate change. This will focus on educating carbon users and emitters on the combined impact that they pose in degrading natural resources. The government also aims at reaching out to the majority of citizens so as to multiply the ability to conquer green house effects. Influencing interest or consumer attitudes Through influencing consumer attitudes and interests, the government aims at demonstrating the impacts of using carbon for production purposes. This involves selection of the personnel to address the carbon users. The personnel should be trained so as to approach the target population using effective techniques. The government aims at employing people with skills on social responsibility and psychology skills, in order to assist in creating awareness on the benefits of tax, and government responsibility over public property such as the atmosphere. This would ensure that the carbon users seize viewing the government as thieves to their money, but as a means to assist them achieve their interests. Developing the tax’s image The state government also aims at developing a positive image regarding tax to the society. Majority of the nation’s population views the government tax policies as a punishment. The aim of this IMC plan is to ensure that people transform their attitude towards taxation policies. They should develop the mentality that government tax assists them in creating a habitable environment. The carbon tax should not be viewed as an obligation to enrich the government, but should be a means to clean up the mess created from deriving utility of carbon (Frager, 1970, p. 56). Creative strategies Persuasion In order to ensure that social awareness is met, the IMC plan has to incorporate the learning of social dynamics and relationships in the community. This means that it has to acquire a value on human rights and social responsibility. For development to take place in society, the government has to ensure that implementation of the carbon tax does not disrupt the harmony in society. The strategy to implant social awareness in society involves building consciousness of the problem to the people involved so as to ensure societal transformation. This step involves learning the society, listening to their views, acknowledging them and showing respect to all members. This will ensure that they develop trust in the governing body, which will assist them accept the carbon tax easily. The government has to realize its role in case a conflict arises. The government’s role is to ensure that its people receive the best and that their environment is protected. In case of the occurrence of such extremes, then it would be forced to implement the tax against public opinion. Before such a decision is made, the government should ensure the use of negotiation strategies to improve on communication. It would do this as a form of compromise so as to assist the community to understand the situation at hand. Specialized personnel in human justice should be used to implement awareness to the community. This will ensure equality in dealing with people as well as use of the fairest tactics to educate society. These officials should be well acquitted with matters that affect common citizens such as poverty and tribalism. This information will assist them in having compassion over the concerned so as to collect appropriate information, as well as, disseminate information about the tax. The officials should assure the community that, the government's motive is to ensure that society obtains best services from the government. They should ensure that the community understands that, the government’s opinion is made on behalf of a marginalized group who may be deprived of their human rights. The officials should request the community to assist them in enhancing social awareness over the carbon problem. Compliance The government should use compliance strategies over industries which use carbon or emit it to the environment after production. This strategy involves changing the behavior of persons so as to be better. The industries are not required to change their opinions regarding the carbon tax, but have to oblige with the conditions given by the government. The carbon user companies will accept the conditions given by the government so that society can benefit at large. The carbon tax will be imposed to ensure that natural resources for current and future generations remain available. The companies will enjoy the satisfaction since they are part of society and will also benefit from the action. The members of the involved industries will also be expected to behave in manners that will lead to use and emission of little carbon to the atmosphere (Frager, 1970, p. 66). Identification The government needs to engage the use of advertisements so as to develop the tax image. This will involve the use of celebrities to capture the interest of majority citizens, and to influence them positively to like the carbon tax. People tend to believe and accept what they can see and understand. The support of their celebrities will ensure that they gain additional confidence in the proposed government tax. This strategy involves the changing of people’s mind set and attitude towards the carbon tax. The targets of this strategy are the motor vehicle users and well as the industries that emit or use carbon. The government expects the carbon users to develop a positive attitude towards the carbon tax, due to influence from the celebrity. The Icon is the marketing tool used in this strategy. Kerman suggests that the carbon users derive a reward of being associated to the Icon (Kelman, 1958, p. 63). Internalization The government should utilize internalization procedures to enhance societal support on carbon tax. The government aims at making the motor vehicle users and industries that use carbon accept the carbon tax. Just as any other form of tax aimed at regulating societal activities, the carbon tax should be implemented. This is because the society needs its carbon to be reserved in the carbon sinks, as well as ensure regulation on climatic changes. This strategy involves making carbon taxes acceptable through establishing normal activities for people to follow. The government holds a responsibility of implementing the carbon tax in a simple manner that will not alter people’s way of life. The people should view the carbon tax as a means to acquire a reward. The targeted people should acquire a benefit over the carbon tax being introduced. This would involve the provision of alternatives for the targets to use. An example of internalization procedures in order to influence a motorist’s behavior is the provision of an eco-friendly fuel. This will ensure that through its use, the motorist does not suffer the carbon tax, thus will adapt to the new system. Conformity The government can also make the carbon users and emitters conform to the laid out rules on carbon tax. This will make them increase their knowledge about carbon, its uses and effects on the environment. This strategy aims at influencing carbon users to use alternatives or conform to carbon taxes. This involves the use of social proof in order to increase knowledge to the society on the effects of carbon. This would involve the use of people willing to comply with the carbon tax in order to make others pay it. The government would use this strategy to create a situation where individuals follow their friend’s decisions through peer influence. This strategy may also involve the use of peers to make carbon users opt for alternatives to carbon. This would include the display of benefits of using carbon alternatives. It acquires the form of a minority influence in society. This is because the majority of carbon users follow the small group of carbon alternative users. The minority group provides the majority with information on the benefits of using carbon alternatives. The carbon users opt to change the use of carbon since they acquire an opportunity to avoid tax. A media plan The government aims at using ambient awareness to create interests and change people’s attitude towards carbon tax. This involves the use of peer influence over the social networks such as websites. The government should create a website where its officials engage in constant interactions with members of the public, and mostly carbon users. This incorporates the use of constant reception on a regular basis to exchange knowledge concerning carbon tax through the social media of choice. It utilizes the concept of mimicking the behaviors of people in one’s environment. This media operates efficiently since in the current society great percentage of people uses social networks for communication. It is also a cost effective method of implementation, fast and easily accessible. It is an appropriate marketing tool since it creates a personal bond with the client. This way, carbon users and motorists can acquire maximum information regarding carbon tax. The main targets in this form of media are internet users. The government can also use channels such as twitter to communicate and share information with many diverse people. This method will assist the government to promote knowledge about carbon taxes. The affected parties acquire an opportunity to air their views on carbon tax. The governmnt is able to offer clarifications over conflicting issues. The government also focuses on the use of electronic media to create social awareness of the carbon tax and the reasons behind its formulation. The government officials will represent it in debates held on national broadcast so as to send out information to many people. This will also be used to create a positive image on the new carbon tax. Others such as the print media can be used to capture societal support. This can be done through making adverts and through the creation of questionnaires for the public to fill. The responses given will ensure that the government acquires the image that society withholds about the carbon tax. This will assist it to learn the information to incorporate as it delivers knowledge of the tax to the members of society. Conclusion Carbon pollution is a major threat to the current and future generation. Human activities lead to the consumption and emission of carbon dioxide. This undermines sustainable development. This is because it creates the greenhouse gas effect, and is a major cause of climate change. The net effect of carbon pollution is greater than its benefits to the earth. Carbon tax is therefore necessary to decrease the negative impacts of carbon to the atmosphere. Tax on the use of carbon will ensure that there is regulation in climate changes, nations become responsible for their actions and creation of sustainable development. References Frager, R 1970, Conformity and Anti-conformity, A Journal of Social Psychology, 15, 50-210. Read More