Policy Evaluation and Analysis - Research Paper Example

Policy evaluation and analysis of Introduction This article seeks to explore the impact of carbon emission in Canada and how it affects the rest of the globe by causing adverse climate change. Besides, it also addresses the climate policy of the Canadian government as a way to reduce the carbon emission rate by evaluating the policy as well as considering the recommendations of the policy. The Canadian government encourages an aggressive approach towards climate change which achieves real economic and environmental benefits for all the Canadians. The climate change causes as well as its impacts on human health and the environment are now highly understood. Canada is definitely a vast country that has a diverse climate. This makes the effects of climate change practically the more important.  The Canadian government supports attempts to protect their environment and of the entire globe through certain developed programs and policies, conducted scientific research as well as working closely with the provinces, territories, other government departments and international partners so as to fight against the problem climate change. The November 4, 2013 project of oil sands in Saskatchewan and Alberta are the main reason on which Canada continues to consistently increase carbon dioxide output which is in total contradiction in regard to its promises that it made at Copenhagen by 2009. This information originates from the recent Environment Canada- the National Inventory Report about the greenhouse gas sinks and sources that was submitted to UN Framework Convention about Climate Change in 2013. The contribution of Canada to global carbon dioxide gas emissions is in overall, not that significant since it`s, in fact, amounting to a mere 2%. However, in regard to the per capita contributions, the country produces over 20 tons which is one of the highest in the globe. By the time Canada was committing itself at Copenhagen that it was to reduce its own emissions to about 17%, that was below the 2005 levels, by 2020, with United States making the same commitment, Canada had realized a decreases in their overall carbon dioxide gases from the peak of about 750 megatons by 2007 to about 690 megatons in 2009. However, since 2009 Canadas carbon dioxide gas emissions have always trended upward. Currently, the report says that aggregate emissions of carbon dioxide gases are standing at 702 megatons. Environmental problem. Climate change is indeed a global problem that comes with global consequences. By 2006, temperature warmer-than-average was recorded across the globe for the period of 30th consecutive year. These consistent increases in average temperatures are undoubtedly melting polar ice caps and glaciers hence raising the sea levels. This is putting coastal areas to be at greater risk of getting flooded. Gathered evidence indicates how these changes are actually not the outcome of natural variability of the climate. The theory of climate change that is human-induced is supported by a number of respected scientific bodies, such as British Royal Society, UNEP, American National Academies as well as the IPCC-Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The IPCC, which was established by WMO-World Meteorological Organization, in conjunction with UNEP-United Nations Environment Programme, did release their 4th assessment report by 2007. The report which declared that the warming of system of the climate is unequivocal, also said that there was a very high confidence of human activity playing a significant role as far as overwhelming the atmosphere with greenhouse gas since 1750 is concerned. The IPCC is undoubtedly the globes foremost scientific authority in regard to subject of climate change. Its role is actually to assess on an objective, comprehensive, open and transparent basis, the technical, scientific, and socio-economic information that are relevant to explaining the scientific basis of climate change`s risk that are human-induced, its potential impacts as well as the options for mitigation and adaptation. Among the greatest concerns that are originating from climate change is undoubtedly the anticipated increase in globe`s frequency of extreme and adverse weather events. The ice storm which had struck the eastern Canada in 1998 evidenced the magnitude of a potential effect of these events. A part from extreme weather events, certain other changes that are associated with the climate change are a bit gradual. Rivers and Lakes generally freeze later as well as thaw earlier than expected. This causes unwarranted difficulties in maintaining and building the ice roads which are important for a number of northern communities. For the past ten years, Canadian ice road network usage has gone down from 50 to 60 to a very lower figure of 20 days within some few years. A sequence of mild winters within the central interior of British Columbia province has encouraged the spread of the stubborn mountain pine beetle. This is a very serious and destructive forest pest that has resulted into the death of several pine trees within millions of hectares of the forests. Evaluation of the policy. Canadian government could do much more to limit and regulate carbon emissions, that have risen within recent years despite them falling south of the border. An attempt to rub it in was seen when the American president, Barack Obama had recently cautioned that unless Canada establish and implements environmental policies, he will not give his consent to the Keystone XL pipeline that was to bring oil to Texas from Albertas tar sands. Ironically, United States itself can gainfully learn one or two concerning climate policy from BC (British Columbia). In 2008 the government of Canadian nation became the pioneer of carbon tax in North American jurisdiction. This environmental policy was introduced to help regulate the level of carbon dioxide emission into the atmosphere as it had risen dramatically. A current study has revealed that the levy regarding this policy measure has resulted to a huge drop in the consumption of fossil-fuel as well as the greenhouse-gas emissions minus hurting the Canadian economy. Besides, the carbon tax policy had caused the citizens of British Colombia to be delightful since it led the provincial government into cutting corporate and personal tax rates. Stewart Elgie who is an economic lecturer at the Ottawa University together with the lead author of this report refers to it as a rare win-win. The carbon tax that is levied on almost all fuels of fossil origin was specifically designed to help British Colombia meet its own self-imposed target, which was to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by about 33%, which is below 2007 levels, by the year 2020. It`s worth noting that the Canadas federal target, just as the United States, is to reduce the carbon dioxide emission to 17% , a figure below 2005 levels, by the year 2020. The carbon tax was previously set at C$10 for every tonne equivalent of carbon dioxide but it rose every year until it hit the mark of C$30 for every tonne in 2012. The carbon tax covers about 77 percent of greenhouse-gas emissions of British Colombia from industrial sources, commercial and residential. This accounts for 7 cents of a C$1.46 Vancouverites pay in a liter of petrol. As a way of reducing emissions, the carbon tax scheme has been nothing less than a roaring success. According to a prior to 2008 report, the average Canadian as well as British Columbian used the same level of fuel. Fuel consumption, by 2012, per person had declined by 17.4% in British Colombian despite it rising by 1.5% among the rest of Canadian nation. However, the province currently uses lesser fuel per head compared to any other. Overall carbon emissions dropped too, by 10 percent, from 2008 to 2011. During this same period, British Colombias use of aviation fuel, that is exempt from carbon tax, stagnated in line with the rest of other provinces. The case that occasioned the shift in consumption of fuel can be attributed entirely to the carbon tax as a mitigation policy and not any other factor. Importantly, the levy doesn`t seems to have hurt the poor, families, and businesses, as anticipated by the opponents of the environmental policy. In fact, the economic performance of Canada, though hardly stellar, had realized increased output per person in the period 2008 to 2011. This was undoubtedly slightly less miserable than the rest of the globe at that time. Economists attributes this benign impact to the carbon taxs revenue-neutral design where each dollar raised was to be channeled back in tax cuts, giving individuals and companies time to adjust. Amazingly, the resulting tax cuts had accumulated to C$1.14 billion between 2011 and 2012 alone. This was C$182 million higher than the carbon tax collected. Canada currently has one of lowest rate of personal income tax for the people earning up to C$119,000. One big threat to Canada’s green record is undoubtedly nascent natural-gas bonanza. However, a new ministry was established to deal with the proposals to build gas pipelines which are to carry natural gas to terminals on north-west coast from north-eastern British Colombia. Here it would then be transformed into LNG-liquefied natural gas after which it`s shipped to lucrative markets in Asian. However, transforming natural gas to LNG consumes a lot of energy, but there is no enough hydroelectric power to do this. Consequently, conversion plants need to probably burn natural gas that is a fossil fuel. Carbon tax therefore regulates in great deal the burning of this fossil fuel and was practically formulated by the Canadian government to help preserve clean environment in line with the Copenhagen agreement. Canadian government official valiantly argues that despite the LNG projects having a negative effect on Canada’s carbon emissions, it would be greatly offset by the implementation of carbon tax as an environmental policy. Policy recommendations The carbon policy has recognized the urgent need to rethink policies of environmental concern along regulatory lines. The policy recommendations to the government to consider expanding and increasing its carbon tax and if necessary to remain on track with a more aggressive target of curbing greenhouse-gas emissions. The policy had called upon the government to implement "legally mandated" carbon emission-reduction targets by 2008 for the period of 2012 and 2016. The legally mandate was partly an interim targets geared towards the goal of Premier Gordon Campbell which was a 33% reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions by the year 2020. The policy also recommends to the province to engage residents in an active public discussions, symposia, and summit meetings as part of a public campaign to educate the Canadian citizen about the importance of policies which are relevant to addressing climate change. Moreover, the carbon policy recommended to the Canadian government to explore ways in which federal regulations can harmoniously co-exist with the diverse provincial regulatory actions and carbon pricing as well as ways in which Canada can accomplish coherent national mitigation framework regarding carbon emission. To accomplish these objectives, the policy recommended that leading thinkers on mitigation framework of policy be convened as well as usage of analytics to avail public information regarding policy choices besides communicating key findings so as to equip the Canadian mitigation policy makers with information. The policy further recommends that Canada borrow from the Implementation of Carbon Pricing Mechanism of Australia. The authority of Canada to examine a short briefing together with some comment concerning what was experience by Australian on carbon pricing so as offer for Canadian policy-makers and industry relevant experience needed to successfully implement the carbon policy. As the government Canada soldiers on with their sector-by-sector regulation of carbon gases, individual provinces need also to continue implementing and strengthen the sub-national pricing mitigation and regulatory policies. The Australian experience was also to provide the desired valuable insight and therefore offer a “parallel universe” in which the Canada government can compare its approach regarding climate change. Tony Beck, who is an expert of Australian carbon markets, had scrutinized the rollout of carbon pricing scheme of Australia, and the effects of implementation on sub-national and national governments as well as the private sector. As part of the policy recommendation, the Canadian government was advised to examine compliance requirements of different gas and oil sub-sectors under the umbrella of a national regulatory system. The government determines that the compliance flexibility will be needed for the sector to adhere with compliance requirements. The policy advocated the usage of existence of models, for instance the Alberta, Specified Gas Emitter Regulations, which can present a good starting point for federal government to exploit while developing flexibility in the national regulatory approach. Canada`s provinces were advised to undertaken a review of their current tax structure so as to enable the carbon tax to be an efficient and effective policy which is destined to reduce emissions as well as promoting low-carbon development. The Canada`s government was also tasked with the responsibility to help curb emerging challenges that continue to hinder the policy success and that they need to offer support to help maintain the carbon policy at its current rate while providing ways in which Canadian provinces can strengthen their provincial greenhouse gas emission mitigation policy. Summary and Conclusions. In summary this article is about carbon emission in Canada and how it globally affects the environment through climate change. The article explore various environmental problems that are today facing the world and Canada`s government. These environmental problems includes: Overall mean annual temperatures are anticipated to increase, global warming resulting to a decreased snow, glacier coverage, sea ice melting hence rising sea levels that cause increased coastal flooding. The increased temperatures will moreover, thaw permafrost in Arctic. The article on Reality Check, 2012 talks about the Canadian carbon policy which was practically formulated to help curb the increasing greenhouse gas emission in Canada. This article evaluates and analyzes the carbon policy by examining its intended purpose and how practically works on the ground. The recommendation of the carbon policy also forms the basis in which this article is written. It explores various recommendations that were made to the government of Canada as a way to strengthen and successfully implement the policy. Despite the Canada provinces carbon tax levied on fuels such as natural gas, gasoline, and other energy sources of fossil-fuel-based origin being anticipated to be ill-received and controversial since it was introduced in July 1, the government of Canada says the urgency with which its objective is to be met-cutting down the greenhouse gas emissions which is responsible for climate change, warrants the policy. The Canadian government further justifies it choice to stick to its carbon policy saying that it will be offset by equivalent reductions in corporate, personal, and small business tax rates. Work Cited Carbon Cartel: Canada, Australia Blasted for Fueling Climate Crisis. Common dreams, 2013.print Coal Information. Paris: OECD/IEA, 1986. Print. Environmental Law Issues Confronting the Oil and Gas Industry. Toronto: Insight Press, 1989. Print. Factbox: Carbon taxes around the world. SBS, 2013.print Hoffmann, Peter. Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Letter. Hyattsville, MD: Peter Hoffmann, 1995. Print. Parallel Paths: Canada-u.s. Climate Policy Choices : Outreach Report. Ottawa: National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, 2011. Print. Reality Check: The State of Climate Progress in Canada. Ottawa: National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, 2012. Internet resource. Read More