Fossil Extractors to Pay (a Bit) for CCS?

Edie had a post recently about a newly proposed amendment to the Energy Bill suggesting that "The Government shall undertake a consultation on measures requiring extractors and importers of petroleum to contribute to the development of Carbon Capture and Storage".

Hmm! Difficult one this. Clearly there need to be incentives to reduce CO2 emissions but hitting extractors and importers risks damaging more benign uses of the black stuff (where will plastics come from otherwise?). What's important is to reduce the burning of fossil fuels.

On the other hand, extractors and importers form an easy target rather than having to identify and tax every emitter.

I guess it's a case of "watch this space". And, in any case, who knows if the amendment will fly at all.

Incidentally, I note the final paragraph in the Edie piece indicating no decision on Drax and Peterhead CCS schemes until 2016. Talk about heal dragging!