Blimey! Muggle Shipping Faces a Carbon Tax? Is This the End of Broomsticks?

By George They're Actually Doing Something!

Right so picture this: I'm reading the Daily Prophet—well the Muggle version anyway—and it seems even *they're* finally taking climate change seriously! The International Maritime Organization (IMO) which sounds like a cousin of Gringotts but deals with boats instead of gold is talking about slapping a carbon tax on global shipping. Apparently these massive ships chugging around the world are responsible for about 3% of the world's carbon emissions. That's almost as bad as Filch's cat Mrs. Norris coughing up hairballs after a particularly dusty afternoon! A carbon levy on the shipping sector? As Mad Eye Moody would say 'CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' This could actually be a massive deal bigger than the time Ron tried to turn Scabbers yellow with a dodgy spell.

A Carbon Levy? Sounds Like a Nasty Curse!

Now the idea is to make shipping companies pay for all the smoke they're belching out. They're even throwing around ideas like a 'global marine fuel standard' which if you ask me sounds like something Snape would force us to brew on a particularly grim Monday morning. Some countries are all for it like Fiji and Vanuatu – probably because rising sea levels are a bit more worrying when you live on an island. But countries like Brazil China and Saudi Arabia aren't too keen. Seems like they're worried about money which let's be honest is a very Slytherin concern.

Fortescue? Sounds Like a Spell Gone Wrong

Even a mining giant called Fortescue is chiming in calling these talks 'absolutely historic.' Apparently even *they* think a carbon levy would be a 'game changer.' Sara Edmonson from Fortescue sounds almost as excited as Hermione when she gets her hands on a new textbook. Of course she did add that “the jury is still very much out” when it comes to a global carbon price. Figures! Even when Muggles take a step forward they manage to hesitate! She thinks the word “levy” can be challenging! It’s almost as challenging as facing Voldemort himself!

The Devil's in the Details (and the Disagreements)

The real issue is whether these measures will actually have any teeth. According to John Maggs from the Clean Shipping Coalition there's a big gap between the countries that want to go green and the ones dragging their feet. It sounds like a diplomatic version of a Quidditch match with everyone fighting for the Golden Snitch only this time the Snitch is a planet we can actually live on! As he said "It's not really a question of whether they get agreement it's just how ambitious it is how effective it is and how many unhappy people there are." That is a lot of unhappy people when things don't go their way.

Brooms Still Safer Than These Gas Guzzlers?

The shipping industry is responsible for carrying about 90% of global trade so it's a real monster to try and decarbonize. This is why Angie Farrag Thibault from the Environmental Defense Fund thinks the IMO needs a 'decisive' economic measure. She makes it sound almost as serious as when Dumbledore gave one of his “we must stand together” speeches. The main goal is to encourage ships to use cleaner fuels and technologies while helping out the countries that are most at risk from climate change.

What Happens Next? Expect the Unexpected!

So what happens next? Who knows! Maybe they'll all agree on something sensible maybe they'll end up in a shouting match like a particularly bad Order of the Phoenix meeting. All I know is if they don't sort this out I might just stick to my broomstick for international travel. At least *that* runs on fresh air (and a bit of magic naturally). It is a great opportunity and as Ralph Regenvanu said: “we see the UNFCCC isn't moving fast enough and this is the great opportunity”