Europeans Warming to Carbon Taxes?

Les Echos are reporting a new Eurobarometer poll that reveals there is, apparently, significant support across Europe for a carbon tax on products that damage the environment, with nearly half (46%) supporting it as long as it was paired with reductions in taxation for more environmentally-friendly products.

But governments should probably be wary of taking this as a green light to introduce carbon taxes – other data suggests that consumers remain more price-sensitive than ever, particularly in the middle of a recession.

The finding is more interesting for what it says about the way that the carbon footprint of the products we buy has imprinted itself on the European public consciousness in recent times. Whether or not consumers ‘mean it’, and would be prepare to put their money where their mouth is, the fact that so many are prepared to voice their support for tax increases in support of a cause is in itself striking.

It’s also revealing that the British are apparently the most open to the idea of a carbon tax on polluting products. This is very much in line with what we’re seeing in our international tracking and may be a consequence both of the state of the environment debate in the UK and the fact that its consumers are relatively lightly taxed. Though this may be about to change...

There’s lots more of interest in the poll, and we may return to it.