Support For Cap And Trade, Carbon Tax Plans Evaporating Among Canadian Business Leaders - G&M

Canada's corporate executives have cooled in their enthusiasm for carbon taxes or "cap-and-trade" systems, as high oil prices and economic concerns make them leery of policies that will boost the cost of doing business.

The latest quarterly C-Suite survey of top executives shows that decision-makers are still keen on combatting climate change, but investing in new technologies is much preferred to government-imposed regulation.

EDIT

The survey shows about 47 per cent support a carbon tax, down significantly from the 63 per cent who said it was a good idea in a C-Suite survey in February, 2007. Fifteen months ago 21 per cent of executives "strongly" supported carbon taxes. That number is now down to 10 per cent.

Carbon taxes could emerge as a central issue in the next federal election, especially after Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion last week unveiled his proposed "carbon shift" - a carbon tax combined with broad-based tax cuts. The Conservatives, who have proposed a federal cap-and-trade system, have labelled his plan "crazy." The C-Suite survey shows that executives are also less enthusiastic than they were 15 months ago about cap-and-trade systems that would set up a market for carbon credits.

EDIT

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080623.RCSUITE23//TPStory/Environment

Wait, I misspoke. Anybody could have foreseen this.
:banghead:

down from 63 ...

what changed?