Climate change - 4X4 tax has no impact on emissions

IMPOSING a tax increase that might just pay for two or three tankfuls of petrol on the owner of a €100,000 4X4 is not the kind of vigorous reform needed to force real change in our carbon emissions figures.

If the road tax increase went hand-in-hand with a new VRT regime, one that imposed a significant deterrent on someone thinking of buying a three-litre SUV to ferry two small children two miles to school it might have more credibility.

Leaked details of the December 5 Budget suggest that Finance Minister Brian Cowen has approved proposals from Environment Minister John Gormley to increase road tax on vehicles with engines over two litres.