The Commission was publicly launched in November 2007 and launched its Final Report in October 2009. The Commission looked in detail at the whole range of issues surrounding green taxes and environmental tax reform (ETR). Its work covered four broad areas:
- How green taxes/ ETR works
- The environmental, economic and social implications of ETR
- Attitudes to green taxes and ETR
- Communication of our findings.
Extension during 2010 and 2011
In 2010, the funders of the original Green Fiscal Commission - the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the Ashden Trust – announced that they would be funding a further year of study to build upon the Commission’s Final Report.
This work is being jointly organised by the Policy Studies Institute and Green Alliance, with the assistance of many of those involved in the original Commission.
Work of the Green Fiscal Commission
The focus of the Commission’s work was greening the UK tax system - that is moving taxes from ‘goods’ like labour, to ‘bads’ like environmental damage. The key to a green tax shift is that the proportion of tax revenues raised from green taxes should increase over time.
The Commission did not consider what level of overall taxation is appropriate, but considered that a significant shift from taxing ‘goods’ to ‘bads’ could make an important contribution to the cost-effective resolution of environmental problems.
The Commission was an independent body, not affiliated to any political party and aimed to examine the evidence impartially. Its results have been made public to encourage debate in this area.