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Tax and the climate crisis

We need to reshape our economy to avoid climate catastrophe. We campaign for higher taxes on highly polluting industries and individuals.

On this page:

What’s the problem?

  • The super rich's carbon emissions are huge

    The carbon emissions of the richest 1% of people in the world are more than double the emissions of the poorest half. The super rich are disproportionately stoking the climate crisis we’re all living through.

  • Polluting industries aren't being penalised

    Industries like oil and gas and aviation aren’t being penalised for their carbon emissions. In fact many big oil companies benefit from generous tax breaks from the UK government.

How can we fix it?

  • Higher taxes on the rich's polluting behaviour

    We support progressive taxation on polluting behaviour – where the rich pay more. This already happens in some industries: for example, tickets for first class air travel attract much more tax than economy class. We’d like to see this approach applied to other polluting consumer behaviour. The revenue from these taxes should go into reducing carbon emissions.

  • Incentivise industry to decarbonise

    The government must end tax breaks to the fossil fuel industry – and introduce higher windfall taxes on their profits. They must introduce tax breaks for renewable energy projects – and other emerging technologies that can help  decarbonise the economy. The tax system has a huge role to play in incentivising new business behaviour that can drive a green transition.

We're in the media pushing for change

^ Watch our Executive Director Robert Palmer defending windfall taxes on oil companies on GBNews in September 2023.

Recent news

  • What are oil companies doing with their huge profits?

    Our climate is changing before our eyes. Flooding has killed seven people and forced hundreds more from their homes in the UK in recent weeks.…

    2nd November 2023
    What are oil companies doing with their huge profits?
  • We’re making strides in our campaign to tax the biggest polluters

    Our campaign to tax the most polluting companies and super rich individuals – and invest that money in renewables and the green transition – is…

    21st September 2023
    We’re making strides in our campaign to tax the biggest polluters
  • How to use tax to tackle carbon emissions

    Tax is being used in new ways in the fight against climate change. On Tuesday European countries voted to create the world’s first carbon import…

    27th April 2023
    How to use tax to tackle carbon emissions