Friends of Science
News release
Friends of Science Society rejects the Alberta government’s claim that the carbon tax that forms part of the recent Alberta budget will have any effect on reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, which is the intended purpose of such a tax. Consumer emissions are nominal compared to those of industry.
Likewise, on April 14, 2016, the Calgary Herald reported “…$6.2 billion will be invested in large-scale renewable energy projects, green infrastructure such as public transit.” This is a boondoggle, and will harm consumers, according to Friends of Science. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/PiAAfpVRLJc. Wind and solar are the most expensive forms of power generation, the least reliable, and they do not address the intended objective of responding to climate change because conventional power is required 24/7 to back them up.
Energy economist Robert Lyman discusses how climate targets will gut the Canadian economy in this report: http://friendsofscience.org/assets/documents/climate_change_implications_Lyman.pdf.
According to Friends of Science, carbon taxes do not reflect a proper accounting of the cost-benefit ratio of the use of hydrocarbons like oil, natural gas and coal – and the derivative products of diesel or gasoline. Furthermore, the calculations for the “Social Cost of Carbon” are calibrated to climate models (simulations) of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which are two to three times higher than actual temperatures – meaning that carbon taxes are artificially inflated.
According to NDP critics, the much-touted BC Carbon Tax is no success story, as noted in this blog: taxpayer.com/blog/bc—carbon-tax-no-success-story.
Albertans are invited to read, “McKitrick on Climate Change – The Pause in Global Warming. The Flaws in Climate Models,” at www.friendsofscience.org/assets/documents/McKitrick_Climate_Change_SCC_Feb_14_2015.pdf
This is a layman’s overview and explanation of how the Social Costs of Carbon are calculated to establish a price on the use of hydrocarbons was prepared in conjunction with Dr. Ross McKitrick, noted economist, award-winning author and climate change critic. The document shows that social benefits are not included, meaning no proper cost-benefit analysis has been done on carbon pricing.
Another Friends of Science report entitled “Alberta’s Carbon Tax: A Burden with No Benefit” gives a more technical analysis of carbon taxes. This is found at: www.friendsofscience.org/assets/documents/AB_carbon_%20tax_Economic_Impact_Gregory.pdf. Friends of Science hosted Dr. Benny Peiser from the UK in 2013 whose talk was entitled: “To Heat or Eat: Europe’s Climate Policy Fiasco.” LINK: friendsofscience.org/index.php?id=653.
Dr. Peiser revealed that Europe’s climate policy, with similar elements to those of the Alberta budget and Alberta Climate Plan, such as carbon taxes, renewables, and closure of coal-fired power plants, had led to widespread ‘heat-or-eat poverty’ and power prices had soared to 37 per cent (2013) over the 2005 rate, which was about the same as that of the US.
Friends of Science holds the view that the sun is the main driver of climate change, not you and not CO2.