Bill Wilson MSP

Speaking in the Stage 1 Debate on the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill, Dr Wilson said:  “I am of the opinion, with regard not just to aviation but also to other causes of climate change, that there is great merit in individual carbon budgets, or, as discussed in the March/April issue of Resurgence magazine, in ‘Tradable Energy Quotas’ or TEQs.

“[…] one of the many advantages of such an idea is that it would be redistributive:  people who could afford air travel would have to buy TEQs from those who couldn’t.   Not only would such a scheme tackle climate change, with a reduced quota of TEQs being issued every year, but it would also tackle local, regional and global inequality, in itself a major threat to health and wellbeing.”

He concluded his speech with the words:

“Climate change could be an opportunity for Scotland, rather than a malign threat, a driver for truly sustainable development.  We will be a greener country, of course, but we could and should also use climate change to become fairer, healthier and wealthier, smarter, safer and stronger.

“And we could and should show other countries how to do this too.  Margaret Mead said:  ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.’

“Why not the citizens of Scotland?”

Commenting afterwards, Dr Wilson said:

“I welcome the Scottish Government’s proposed legislation, but would also encourage it to look at other options.  TEQs would motivate each and every one of us to do our bit to prevent global warming as goods and services would effectively be priced according to their impact on climate change.

“The wealth redistribution built into TEQs is a major bonus, given that inequality correlates with a variety of individual and societal ills.”

Notes to Editors

1.  The Resurgence article referred to may be read in full here on Shaun Chamberlin's website.

2.  More on Tradable Energy Quotas

3. Harmful effects of inequality:  even the wealthy suffer in relatively unequal countries

Social Science and the Causes of Happiness and Misery

“Richard Wilkinson has shown the remarkable cross-sectional correlation of inequality with all kinds of bad outcomes.  An example is an index of child well-being.  In a recent UNICEF report, children in the U.S. and U.K. are found to do worse on a variety of indicators than children in any of the other rich countries.  These countries also have more children in relative poverty.  Does this mean that British and American children who are not poor do alright?  It does not.  They too suffer compared with other countries.  It seems that an ethos which tolerates high inequality also produces other evils.”