Let’s pollute our environment !!!
That is not a joke by the way!!!
In order to understand what I am saying, we need to set certain cornerstones. First, mother Earth is the only place in the universe-to date- where we can live. That is why it is of utmost importance to care for our planet and treat it with love and care. Second, due to the environmental threats we are currently meeting like the greenhouse effect and others, there is a lot of pressure on the whole world to decrease its pollution rates.
Now that we are clear that we all have the same goal...ok!!!
Come and buy a pollution permit!!!
Actually I think of it as a brilliant idea, it is a way to reduce pollution with financial incentives. This is a trade called "Emission trading" in this trade each government enforces a pollution limit and share these limits or allowances with its institutions. Under these agreements, each institution or factory buys permits to an allowable amount of pollution that it can't exceed. If it exceeds this limit it has to buy new permits or be fined. On the other hand, if the government decided to increase the number of factories or decided to reduce the overall pollution limit, it forces a reduction in these limits to all factories.
Despite Africa only causes a little more than 3% of the world's pollution, it will be among the most affected areas by global warming. That is why Africa is taking many steps towards Emission trading, including Kenya's initiative. Kenya is currently offering to trade carbon for all Africa; through making agreements with international financial organizations to increase the use cleaner energy and grow more trees in Africa. Just last month, Kenya moderated a workshop on carbon trade investments and finance.
So, now you can easily see that I wasn't really joking !!!
This inquire that I began with is a start of a possible conversation between two factory managers who participate in emission trading schemes. Of course, the manager offering to sell his permit is the one who succeeded to reduce his pollution rate and gets to benefit from that by selling his permits to the highest bidder. This way he literally cashes in on his success in reducing the environmental pollution.
So, would you like to trade with him?
Image Credit by Mbeychok via Wikimedia Commons
you are right Radwa, but the problem is not only the small fines but also that some countries didn't actually put a limit to begin with...that is why the fines are negligible...but if you have a limit then the fines should be gradually increased as the level of pollution approaches the limit meanwhile it should be enormous once these limits are exceeded or the factory should be closed
that is why putting a limit should come first!!!
That's right! but what surprised me was that Africa only causes 3% of the world pollution!!!!!! wow o_O I never thought we are such a peaceful continent like that :P. Anyways, the problem is, some countries really apply that permission thing but the fine is very very small that many factories don't care to exceed the limits of pollution!!! I think this will be an important case to work with, and that's to make those fines very high so we can really reach the safe environment we aim to :).
