ON July 1, Australia not only got a carbon tax, but also a tax on refrigerants 
based on their global warming potential. Refrigerants are used to keep things cool, for example, food in our refrigerators and people in cars and shopping centres.
The refrigerants industry is claiming the tax will significantly increase their costs.
The Australian government, however, claims that the new tax will simply encourage the use of alternative refrigerants which are less harmful for the environment. Indeed the relevant government website states:
“In many cases there are alternatives to synthetic greenhouse gases already in the Australian market. There are also low or non global warming alternatives in prospect for many applications.
Overseas and Australian experience is demonstrating that natural alternatives [to synthetic greenhouse gases] such as ammonia, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons can be used safely and effectively.”
What? The Australian government is suggesting that carbon dioxide is, relatively speaking, not a potent greenhouse gas.
So, why in the scheme of things, relatively speaking, do we have a carbon tax?
[Read more…] about Carbon Taxing Refrigerants But Not Carbon Dioxide?
Jennifer Marohasy BSc PhD has worked in industry and government. She is currently researching a novel technique for long-range weather forecasting funded by the B. Macfie Family Foundation.