The theme of “Axe the Tax” for the carbon tax has become pervasive, but sadly, citizens have no idea of the far greater climate monkey sitting on their backs.Robert Lyman, a retired energy economist and former federal public servant of 27 years, has written three new reports showing the staggering costs of Canada’s climate policies.As the climate cult demands that we be a "climate leader" in the world, or when Mark Carney denounces his own country as a "climate laggard," Lyman scoffs at this nonsense. Lyman points out the Futile Folly of Canada trying to ‘save the planet’ alone, or even to do our (alleged) "fair share" of planet saving — by becoming virtuous climate martyrs through heat-or-eat poverty.Recently, the Fraser Institute issued a report by author and global energy expert, Prof. Emeritus Vaclav Smil on the technical challenges of Net Zero targets.But Lyman looks at the costs — to you and your family. Public policy on climate has strayed far from reality, reason and accountability.In “What are Climate Policies Costing Canada?” Lyman notes that a global survey published in Nature in February 2024 found that people would be willing to spend 1% of their income on climate initiatives. Canadians are already spending more than that. According to Statistics Canada, the median Canadian Income in 2022 was $43,000. So, 1% of that income for climate change would be $431.Lyman used a list of Canada’s climate initiatives put together by Navius Research and found the figures add up to a grand total of expenditures made and planned of $172.8 billion by the federal government alone.However, he writes, “The total federal and provincial expenditures on climate measures over the period 2020 to 2030 as listed by the Carbon Policy Tracker are $476 billion or $11,900 per resident of Canada. This equates to roughly $28,000 per household (i.e. an average of $2,800 per household per year). This is just what has been announced to date; there remain five more fiscal years before 2030 during which governments may add more initiatives.”A second report “Turning Taxpayers into Risk Takers” discusses the federal government’s efforts to enshrine in legislation a program of Contracts for Difference (CfDs). This is a program where, if there is a fall in market price for a new "clean" energy market, taxpayers make up the difference. Thus, CfD’s provide market certainty to investors. But they pick the pocket of taxpayers to do so!Lyman writes, “To date, the federal government has announced only one CfD. On December 20, 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland announced that the Canada Growth Fund had concluded an agreement with Calgary’s Entropy Inc. Freeland proclaimed this could reduce emissions by up to 9 million tonnes over 15 years.”In the referenced article above the CO2 emissions abatement is 185,000 tonnes (instead of the projected 9 million tonnes). As such the math is: (185,000 tonnes x $86.5 per Tonne + $200 million) / 185,000 tonnes = $1,167.58 / tonne. That’s quite the carbon tax, eh?You’d never know about it if no one did this math for you.Lyman is outraged, writing, “How can this be considered as justified?... if the general public is to take on the economic risks, what benefits are there to compensate for this?”A third report discusses the “Burdensome Ideology” of climate initiatives which many taxpayers are unaware of. Likewise, the huge sums involved are generally beyond the imaginations of regular people who are busy with their children, jobs and mortgages; many people are pleased that some kind of "climate action" is being taken to mollify the Greta Thunbergs of the world and save the planet for our children.What Robert Lyman does is show you that Greta and friends will all be in the poor-house if this nonsense continues.In 2022, the Royal Bank Of Canada published a study entitled The $2 Trillion Transition on the “costs of decarbonization”. Friends of Science Society’s reanalysis by their team of Professional Engineers found that RBC had wildly underestimated the costs. In its March 2022 Budget, the federal government upped the ante for reaching Net Zero to somewhere between $3.4 trillion and $5.2 trillion.So, the Net Zero challenge ranges between $2 trillion and $5.2 trillion. That is an almost unimaginable amount of money. $2 trillion is $50,000 for every one of Canada’s 40 million residents now, or $118,000 for every household. $5.2 trillion is $130,000 for every resident, or $306,000 for every household. Averaged over 27 years, $2 trillion would cost every one of today’s residents about $1,850 per year; averaged over 27 years, $5.2 trillion would cost every one of today’s residents $4,815 per year.So, you’ll own nothing. Not sure you’ll be happy to be a poverty-stricken climate leader. Especially when there will be absolutely no impact on global emissions as China emits in one month what Canada emits in a year and eight months.
The theme of “Axe the Tax” for the carbon tax has become pervasive, but sadly, citizens have no idea of the far greater climate monkey sitting on their backs.Robert Lyman, a retired energy economist and former federal public servant of 27 years, has written three new reports showing the staggering costs of Canada’s climate policies.As the climate cult demands that we be a "climate leader" in the world, or when Mark Carney denounces his own country as a "climate laggard," Lyman scoffs at this nonsense. Lyman points out the Futile Folly of Canada trying to ‘save the planet’ alone, or even to do our (alleged) "fair share" of planet saving — by becoming virtuous climate martyrs through heat-or-eat poverty.Recently, the Fraser Institute issued a report by author and global energy expert, Prof. Emeritus Vaclav Smil on the technical challenges of Net Zero targets.But Lyman looks at the costs — to you and your family. Public policy on climate has strayed far from reality, reason and accountability.In “What are Climate Policies Costing Canada?” Lyman notes that a global survey published in Nature in February 2024 found that people would be willing to spend 1% of their income on climate initiatives. Canadians are already spending more than that. According to Statistics Canada, the median Canadian Income in 2022 was $43,000. So, 1% of that income for climate change would be $431.Lyman used a list of Canada’s climate initiatives put together by Navius Research and found the figures add up to a grand total of expenditures made and planned of $172.8 billion by the federal government alone.However, he writes, “The total federal and provincial expenditures on climate measures over the period 2020 to 2030 as listed by the Carbon Policy Tracker are $476 billion or $11,900 per resident of Canada. This equates to roughly $28,000 per household (i.e. an average of $2,800 per household per year). This is just what has been announced to date; there remain five more fiscal years before 2030 during which governments may add more initiatives.”A second report “Turning Taxpayers into Risk Takers” discusses the federal government’s efforts to enshrine in legislation a program of Contracts for Difference (CfDs). This is a program where, if there is a fall in market price for a new "clean" energy market, taxpayers make up the difference. Thus, CfD’s provide market certainty to investors. But they pick the pocket of taxpayers to do so!Lyman writes, “To date, the federal government has announced only one CfD. On December 20, 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland announced that the Canada Growth Fund had concluded an agreement with Calgary’s Entropy Inc. Freeland proclaimed this could reduce emissions by up to 9 million tonnes over 15 years.”In the referenced article above the CO2 emissions abatement is 185,000 tonnes (instead of the projected 9 million tonnes). As such the math is: (185,000 tonnes x $86.5 per Tonne + $200 million) / 185,000 tonnes = $1,167.58 / tonne. That’s quite the carbon tax, eh?You’d never know about it if no one did this math for you.Lyman is outraged, writing, “How can this be considered as justified?... if the general public is to take on the economic risks, what benefits are there to compensate for this?”A third report discusses the “Burdensome Ideology” of climate initiatives which many taxpayers are unaware of. Likewise, the huge sums involved are generally beyond the imaginations of regular people who are busy with their children, jobs and mortgages; many people are pleased that some kind of "climate action" is being taken to mollify the Greta Thunbergs of the world and save the planet for our children.What Robert Lyman does is show you that Greta and friends will all be in the poor-house if this nonsense continues.In 2022, the Royal Bank Of Canada published a study entitled The $2 Trillion Transition on the “costs of decarbonization”. Friends of Science Society’s reanalysis by their team of Professional Engineers found that RBC had wildly underestimated the costs. In its March 2022 Budget, the federal government upped the ante for reaching Net Zero to somewhere between $3.4 trillion and $5.2 trillion.So, the Net Zero challenge ranges between $2 trillion and $5.2 trillion. That is an almost unimaginable amount of money. $2 trillion is $50,000 for every one of Canada’s 40 million residents now, or $118,000 for every household. $5.2 trillion is $130,000 for every resident, or $306,000 for every household. Averaged over 27 years, $2 trillion would cost every one of today’s residents about $1,850 per year; averaged over 27 years, $5.2 trillion would cost every one of today’s residents $4,815 per year.So, you’ll own nothing. Not sure you’ll be happy to be a poverty-stricken climate leader. Especially when there will be absolutely no impact on global emissions as China emits in one month what Canada emits in a year and eight months.
