The trouble governments have at the moment, especially in the UK, is that the general public are sceptical that all that Emissions Trading Schemes and Green Taxes do is increase overall burden on businesses and the level of taxation and have little to do with saving the planet.Explaining to people much more candidly about the thinking behind a tax shift should gradually bring individuals and businesses around to accepting that emissions trading, fuel taxation, road pricing is not about just using talk about saving the environment as a marketing tool for more taxation.But one thing which has not been done and which clearly needs to be done is acquiring proper empirical data which shows that increased environmental taxation does have the desired effect of decreasing emissions.The Government needs to also play its full part in this by ensuring that agreements are reached at an international level to synchronise tax policy in this area on a global basis.For instance emissions trading, aircraft taxation, fuel duties to name but three, need greater uniformity across borders otherwise businesses will arbitrage, relocate or be disadvantaged.Global problems need global solutions and to meet the 2050 60% CO2 reduction target which the UK has agreed to needs a very concerted effort indeed.The emissions trading systems introduced and being introduced are seeking a market based solution for a route to a low carbon economy.We should look at the implementation which has occurred in Europe, which is the leader in the field of CO2 reduction initiatives as well as possibilities elsewhere.How do the principles of the system work and how effective or adverse will their impact be in a world where the major CO2 emitters do not intend to participate.Will the schemes help Europe leapfrog ahead with a paradigm technology shift or will it decimate the industrial and business landscape and lead to "carbon leakage".