free trade and carbon pricing

Smooth transition needed for carbon pricing and free trade

Climate and Energy

Even if we weren’t in the middle of a federal election campaign, there would be several important policy issues being discussed this summer. One of the big ones is Canada’s part in the negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free-trade agreement with several Pacific Rim countries. Another is the development of carbon-pricing policies in Ontario […]

carbon pricing Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia in carbon-pricing caboose

Climate and Energy

This expert opinion piece on carbon pricing in Nova Scotia by Elizabeth Beale and Chris Ragan originally appeared in the Chronicle Herald on June 2, 2015. You don’t need to explain the connection between the economy and the environment to a Nova Scotian. Where livelihoods have long been affected by changes in the ocean, the […]

Improved carbon pricing could make socially responsible investing easier

Improved carbon pricing could make socially-conscious investing easier

Climate and Energy

This Report on Business Commentary piece on social responsible investing by Chris Ragan originally appeared in the Globe and Mail on May 18, 2015. Interest in “socially responsible” investing is growing quickly, and it’s often driven by concerns over climate change. The movement to divest from fossil-fuel companies is sweeping university campuses, foundations and institutional […]

No Need to Choose Between a Carbon Price and the Oil Patch. Photo by Jeff Wallace; see https://www.flickr.com/photos/wherezjeff/14268938549/in/photolist-nJU3iT-53MvGH-brMFWR-btkWoB-bshGct-bsTFrZ-4VsEnC-4VcDiD-bshRme-btYva8-btWZ2a-bvRKwF-53RH6G-bVET2q-fCeQdR-fCePfk-fCeP86-fCu8ef-brMr7D-fCePQa-Ypmh6-bt6g9a-bsh2UD-bsz6rD-fCu8ow-bt6Mrn-7dEndH-btkWNv-NEGha-btXFpF-bt7oaT-bsJFfe-btWRm8-btWypt-btX776-brMCyB-brLzw2-btXLLF-bVERyd-bVEP5G-btVUJB-btXKXD-7dEnLz-bshTCT-bshGMi-btWL9k-bshvnZ-btWJ6z-bt6SQT-btVRs2

No Need to Choose Between a Carbon Price and the Oil Patch

Climate and Energy

Happy #WonkWednesday! The piece below was originally published in the May 2015 issue of Alberta Oil Magazine. Wonkier readers also should not miss Andrew Leach’s more in-depth economic analysis of the impact of greenhouse gas regulations on oil sands development. Yes, there’s a chart. Many people concerned about climate change favour “carbon pricing” as an […]

Picture for 4 things Ontario's cap-and-trade system must get right

Four things Ontario’s cap-and-trade plan must get right

Climate and Energy

This Globe Debate piece about Ontario’s forthcoming cap-and-trade system by Chris Ragan and Paul Boothe originally appeared in the Globe and Mail on April 16, 2015. This week, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne made a major announcement in the battle against climate change: Ontario will join Quebec and California in a “cap and trade” system to […]

When tackling climate change, don’t wait for carbon pricing policy perfection

When tackling climate change, don’t wait for policy perfection

Climate and Energy

The following was orginally published in Maclean’s on April 15, 2015. Soon three-quarters of Canadians will live in provinces that put a price on carbon. It’s time to move forward with smart carbon pricing policy in the rest The scientific consensus is clear: we have to substantially reduce our carbon emissions by the latter half […]