Memorandum submitted by The Royal Society
for the Protection of Birds
The RSPB is Europe's largest wildlife conservation
charity, with over one million members. Our work to protect wild
birds and the environment includes research on many environmental
problems and contributions to a wide range of Government policies
that impact on biodiversity and the environment. We were involved
in the HM Treasury's consultations during 2002 that developed
the "Tax and Environment" document.
ENVIRONMENTAL TAXES
1. The RSPB supports the concept of environmental
tax reform, shifting taxation from social "goods" to
environmental "bads". However, we are extremely concerned
that the Treasury's current tax policy does little to pursue such
reforms, while suppressing discussion of the merits of different
tax options within other parts of Government. This restricts the
comparison of the full range of policy options and hampers integrated
policy making.
2. For example, the National Pesticides
Strategy[38]
aims to identify where further regulation is required to back
up existing initiatives. However, the Pesticides Safety Directorate
has ruled out considering fiscal instruments to tackle pesticide
issues. They state that this is the remit of Treasury and not
the Pesticides Safety Directorate. RSPB is dismayed that the national
strategy cannot address pesticide issues by considering all relevant
policy instruments.
THE STERN
REVIEW AND
A CARBON
BUDGET
3. While the Pre-Budget Report 2006 contained
further action on climate change, we believe its measures, and
decisions in future budgets and the 2007 Comprehensive Spending
Review, need to be assessed in relation to a UK Carbon Budget.
As well as highlighting the effects of selected individual policy
instruments, the Treasury should publish an overall assessment
of the likely changes to the UK's Carbon Budget at each Pre-Budget
Report and Budget. This should include updates on the current
carbon emissions, and the expected future effects of the policy
measures in each Pre-Budget Report and Budget.
4. The Stern Report identified the serious
consequences of climate change for people and wildlife—in
particular in developing countries. It also outlined the need
for taxes to tackle emissions of greenhouse gases. The RSPB supports
this approach, because polluters should pay for the damage they
cause.
5. However, while appropriate taxation can
discourage carbon emissions and raise government revenue, it does
not in itself rectify damage from climate change. Climate change
also threatens serious damage to the UK's wildlife. The UK, as
a significant polluter, should devote spending to help wildlife
adapt to new climatic conditions in the future. To protect the
UK environment, some of the revenue from green taxes should be
used to help the UK's wildlife adapt to climate change, including
through the creation of significant new areas of habitat. Stern
acknowledged the role of natural habitats (such as tropical rainforests)
in preventing further greenhouse gas emissions. This principle
can be applied at home, as the protection, restoration and recreation
of natural habitats (such as peatlands) within the UK could also
have a significant role to play in helping prevent further emissions.
January 2007
38 Pesticides safety Directorate (March 2006) Pesticides
and the Environment: A strategy for the sustainable use of plant
protection products. Back
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