Last week the British Chancellor George Osborne made an announcement stating that
in the United Kingdom business interests will prevail over environment goals. In other words the British Government will do what it takes to try and keep its economy away from the eminent global recession. Where green goals are in conflict with economic concerns, business interests will win.
Those were George Osborne's exact words. Such announcement baffled me and got me thinking: To what extent are Governments committed to their Climate Change Commitment?
Britain's signal made things quite clear to me that at the first sign of economic recession the first to be sacrificed will the environment and I'm afraid that the British Government is not the only way thinking that way. It was just the first one to make it publicly clear.
The British Chancellor announced that energy guzzling industries will be relieved from carbon taxes and compensations from for those affected by the upcoming carbon floor prices. A total of 250m in the form of reliefs will be available for such industries.
Mr. Osborne claims that the measure is to make British Companies more competitive internationally. In Germany, another European country that is offering carbon tax reliefs for its heavy industries tax rebates have passed the 5 billion Euros mark with high energy users only paying 0.5 of a 35 tax.
With two of the biggest European economies favouring economic interests over environmental commitments I'm certain others will follow suit. Specially now with Europe on the verge of one its biggest and most feared economic crisis since World War II.
Intensive business electricity users complain that "green taxes" are harming their international competitiveness. What about the harm they do to our planet?
The problem is that with the world on the verge of a double dip recession these big corporations are pressuring governments for more incentives threatening to cut down jobs and close plants which would only aggravate economic problems.
Unfortunately these high energy users have got a stronger hand to gamble right now and forcing governments to basically do what is best for them without a drop of concern about our planet.
There is little we can do right now but it is important to find out who these companies are because when storms passes many of them will come forward evangelising about how "green and eco-friendly" they are.
It is our job to avoid these companies by not buying their products and make it public that they rather produce than cater for our planet.