The College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada is committed to facilitating engagement amongst its membership as well as with the Royal Society of Canada and the public. In order to facilitate engagement and to showcase the expertise that is resident amongst our College members, the RSC College Webinar Series will be hosted by the Royal Society of Canada three times annually. This webinar series will be managed by the College executive on the advice of College Council and supported by Walter House.
From the Carbon Cycle to the Carbon Tax: How to Effectively Measure and Reduce GHG Emissions
The carbon cycle describes the flow of carbon between the atmosphere, oceans and land. It is influenced by changes in the sources and sinks of carbon, including respiration and photosynthesis by plants and uptake and release by oceans and soils. These natural phenomena are critically affected by human activities like burning fossil fuels and changes in land use. Carbon taxes are widely accepted by scholars as the policy instrument of choice to make people change their consumption patterns, emit fewer greenhouse gases (GHGs), and thus contribute to keeping global warming below a tolerable threshold. However, challenges arise when it comes to achieving this goal effectively and doing so in a way that distributes both the emission reduction obligations and the tax payments fairly.
This webinar will discuss our current measurement and monitoring capabilities globally and in urban centres. We will then discuss a progressive carbon tax as best positioned to encourage the necessary behaviour to meet our greenhouse gas emissions targets.
Speakers
Renowned for his work in economic ethics, Peter Dietsch’s research interests focus on questions of distributive justice concerning income and on the evaluation of economic policies. Dietsch is the author of Catching Capital – The Ethics of Tax Competition (Oxford University Press, 2015) and co-author of Do Central Banks Serve the People? (Policy Press, 2018). His expertise is regularly solicited in the media.
Debra Wunch is an atmospheric physicist who plays a leading role in the development and use of remotely sensed measurements of greenhouse gases. She has fostered the development of a global network of instruments that occupies a critical niche between in-situ and space-based measurements of carbon dioxide and methane. Her research on greenhouse gas emission sources and natural sinks provides new insights into the global carbon cycle.
Moderator
Audrey Moores is a Professor at McGill University who researches and teaches green and sustainable chemistry. She is also the President of the College of the Royal Society of Canada. She develops syntheses and chemical processes which are more respectful of the environment and our health, including towards the valorization of waste from biomass, using solvent-free techniques.