The Global Revolt Against Carbon Tariffs Continues

Conventional wisdom used to be that only developing countries like China and India, with their "unenlightened" environmental policies, would oppose carbon tariffs. Then, last weekend Germany and some other Euros expressed stiff opposition. Now, it's Australia's turn:

THE Rudd government will oppose union moves to make Labor policy the imposition of green trade barriers against countries such as India and China that refuse to accept binding greenhouse emissions cuts.

Trade Minister Simon Crean, who with the backing of Kevin Rudd will oppose the union push at the ALP national conference, said yesterday Labor's emissions trading scheme had no such border taxes because of fears of retaliation against the nation's trade-dependent economy. The draft trade policy for the three-day conference opening today in Sydney includes a proposal to "prevent environmental dumping" by nations "which fail to implement international agreements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions".

The push for protectionism contradicts Australia's global trade negotiations and the Prime Minister's appeal for nations not to retreat into protectionism because of the global financial crisis.

So, to recap:

Pro carbon tariffs - The US House of Representatives (in Waxman-Markey), France, and Paul Krugman.

Anti carbon tariffs - the rest of the world.