China investigates carbon tax

Chinese government officials have reportedly commissioned a study into the viability of introducing a carbon tax as they steps up efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

According to news agency Reuters, researchers at a state think tank told local media last week that preliminary proposals on how the rollout of a carbon tax could be published "within a month".

Su Ming, deputy director of an institute under China's ministry of finance, said that the study had been commissioned by the ministry of finance and the ministry of environmental protection, both of which have rolled out increasing numbers of green rules in recent years.

As well as an investigation of carbon taxes, the study is also expected to incorporate proposals on a wide range of green taxes, including possible levies on sulphur dioxide, ammonia pollutants and waste water.

"At a time when calls for the globe to control emissions of carbon dioxide are growing louder... promotion of environmental taxes is much needed," Su told China's National Business Daily.

Reuters said that a Chinese carbon tax was unlikely to be adopted in the near future, but the proposals form part of a wider legislative trend that has seen government officials introduce a large number of environmental initiatives in recent years, including the introduction of a tax on oil products and tightening of pollution and energy-efficiency standards.

Officials are also investigating an alternative means of putting a price on carbon through a regional carbon cap-and-trade scheme that the government has said could be rolled out nationally.