Introductory note
The noé21
association (www.noe21.org)
was formed in 2003, with the aim of propagating the idea of environmental
tax reform in all spheres of society, especially among decision makers. One
of the association's first acts was to get in touch with similar associations
(alas, few in number) throughout the world, in order to benefit from their
experience and avoid overlapping. We went first to Munich, to see the people
at Green Budget Germany, in particular its director, Mr Anselm Görres.
The latter told us right away that promoting this type of reform is a difficult
and thankless task: no one really wants it, no one likes it and no one wants
to pay more for fuel.
None the less, the survival
of planet earth depends on such a reform, in our opinion at least.
This remark that environmental
tax reform is unloved was one that we were to hear frequently in our subsequent
meetings with bankers, elected representatives, environmentalists and entrepreneurs.
It never failed. There is a huge information gap; people do not fully grasp
the idea of a tax shift. This is what prompted us to make a film, in order
to stimulate debate and inform those concerned in Europe, particularly those
who will be responsible for applying the Kyoto protocol and the whole series
of laws to come in its wake.
The following screenplay
is the upshot of these and other observations. It is by no means final (and
paradoxically I hope it will long remain an ongoing process: where there is
onward movement there is life).
The film comprises two
parts. The first consists of a five-minute introduction in which we endeavour
to describe the greenhouse effect, the limits to growth, the limits of the
economics systems we live in, and the reasons why people resist change. In
part two, which has more original content, we attempt to explain what environmental
tax reform involves. In both parts, the spotlight alternates between two viewpoints
presented in what we hope is a balanced fashion, one factual and scientific,
the other emotional and subjective. To break down the barriers...
Synopsis
1 - CHALET, EXT, DAYTIME
 |
Seated in front of a tiny chalet, a man in his forties plays with his
son. Through binoculars, the boy is watching some chamois pick their way
down over the scree. He is about ten years old.
In voice-over the
silent father thinks: In 50 years, one in four living species may have disappeared.. I can hardly
imagine it.
The boy turns to
his father: "Can I have a bit more chocolate?"
His father smiles
and says: "Go ahead".
Munching the chocolate,
the boy takes another look at the chamois as they frisk on a mountain
ridge. Close-up of one of the chamois turning its head to look down
towards the valley on the other side, the side we cannot see.
In that valley on
the far side of the ridge, columns of lorries climb the road leading
to the Mont Blanc tunnel. Exhaust fumes.
The boy stands up
and hands the binoculars to his father.
The boy exclaims:
"Look, Dad, they have all gone".
The father, in voice-over,
thinks: I really feel there is nothing we can do about it. It's terrible
to feel so powerless.
|
2 - BEACH, EXT. DAYTIME
 |
Tropical jungle and a beach in summer, people lying on the sand and children
playing in the waves.
Voice-over
narration: Since the industrial age began 150 years ago, the earth's
climate has been changing. It has been getting warmer, to the point
that climate change now constitutes a threat to many living species.
But is there
anything people can do to save the earth's climate?
|
| |
Title
CO2,
tomorrow I quit
|
3 -
COLOUR ANIMATION of dinosaurus
|
Scene:
the world 100 million years ago. CO2 molecules are represented by pink
spots (one of which is shown in enlargement).
Voice-over narration:
Why is the earth getting warmer? During the dinosaurs' era, 100 million
years ago, there was three times more CO2 in the atmosphere than there
is today. Average temperatures were ten degrees warmer.
|
 |
Voice-over narration:
Organic residues rich in carbon were gradually trapped underground
and then slowly converted by pressure into oil, coal and gas.
Scene: animals
and plants die and are crushed into a paste. The geological strata thus
formed, sink and are covered by other layers.
|
 |
Scene:
as a result of this compression process, the number of pink spots in the
sky dwindles. In the underground layers, however, it rises. We see this
slow transition process, with more and more pink spots underground and
fewer in the blue sky around the globe.
Voice-over
narration: This is how two thirds of the carbon in the atmosphere
was gradually removed from the cycle. At that moment, cars make their
appearance.
|
 |
Since
the end of the last ice age 10 000 years ago, we have enjoyed a temperate
climate conducive to human activity.
Scene: we see the
Earth's crust with pools of oil lying underground. Backfiring noisily,
an old Model T Ford sucks up some oil through a previously empty pipe
sticking out from its rear. This is followed by other increasingly modern
cars, then by coal- and oil-fired power stations.
Voice-over narration:
Burning fossil fuel today releases into the atmosphere in the space
of a few decades the carbon accumulated over millions of years. This
upsets the fragile balance of the climate.
|
4 -
CAR, EXT, DAYTIME
|
A
violent storm sweeps away a bridge. Floods. A high-voltage power mast
is toppled by the gale.
|
 |
Behind
a window, two children wipe away the condensation and look out through
the downpour. They are sitting in the back of a family sedan, stuck in
a traffic jam in the rain.
|
 |
A
young woman in a pink dress is seated at the wheel, taking the children
to school; she is annoyed at wasting her time in the traffic jam.
One of the children
is irritated because he is hot and hampered by his waterproof jacket:
The child : "Mum,
I don't like the car. Can you take off our jackets?"
The mother: "Not
just now."
The child: "Can
we walk home after school this afternoon?"
The mother, evasively:
"We'll see. I can't promise."
We see the car again
with the mother and her children on a rainy day. And more cars on the
motorway.
The mother, in voice-over,
thinks: Of course I was tired out that afternoon and I went to get
them by car. It's stupid, I know.
|
5A
- SAND DESERT, ICE DESERT
 |
A
sandstorm sweeps over a dune. In a bleak landscape, the sand swallows
up a road. This is a transition scene intended to convey the message that
climate change can also result in drought. |
 |
A
glacier crumbles in the Antarctic. Shot of an icicle containing trapped
air bubbles. The icicle fades into a group of scientists recovering
an ice core and analysing it in a laboratory. We first see an Antarctic
research station (Vostok?) and then the ice core containing air bubbles.
Voice-over
commentary: By analysing the air bubbles trapped deep in the Antarctic
ice, we can learn what the earth's climate was like in the past.
The camera lingers
on the trapped air bubbles, making a good backdrop for the next scene.
|
5B
- ANIMATION of curves
 |
Two different curves, one yellow and one blue, appear one under the other.
They have a light point and a green trace, which slowly follow a similar
path.
Voice-over commentary:
For millions of years, the Earth's temperature has varied in the
same pattern as the content of CO2 in the atmosphere.
paleoclimate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming
http://www.brighton73.freeserve.co.uk/gw/globalwarmingfaq.htm
The two curves rise
and fall together, making a sound reminiscent of an electrocardiogram.
They reflect 10
Milankovitch cycles of 100 000 years each. We hear the sound of a heart
beating to the rhythm of the wind.
Voice-over narration
(coinciding with the moment the curves reach the year 1850): Since
1850, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has soared to levels...
(on actual levels see exp-co2)
An alarm starts
to beep when one of the curves (that of CO2 concentration) veers upwards
to unprecedented heights.
..not reached
since the time of the dinosaurs. see gassmann
p 53
As
the camera zooms in on the last 1000 years, the alarm stops beeping.
The time-scale changes. A span of 1000 years now fills the screen instead
of 400 000 years. At this point, the graphic designer must make it clear
that we are simply zooming in on the last part of the same curve.
The dotted line
representing the earth's temperature begins to rise only in the year
2000, because of the time-lag effect. The paths followed by the two
curves reflect this phenomenon.
|
 |
Voice-over
narration: There is a time lag between CO2 concentration rise and
temperature rise. Today, we suffer the effects of carbon dioxide emissions
that occurred 50 years ago.
Two other curves,
yellow and red with no light source, appear on the screen. Representing
gross world product and population, they rise parallel to the CO2 emissions'
curve. We see how these three curves follow similar exponential paths.
Voice-over narration:
Our planet has lived through a period of exponential demographic
and economic growth. Carbon dioxide emissions are a consequence of that
growth, which is simply not sustainable. pop exp PNB
Pop-up
images illustrate this development model, with eight-lane motorways
etc.
|
6 SUPERMARKET,
INT, EVENING
 |
Voice-over narration : Things we do in our daily life contribute greatly
to CO2 emissions.
A young couple shop for fruit and vegetables in a supermarket. As it is
winter, they are warmly dressed. They buy some apples and a little basket
of strawberries. The young woman hesitates as she puts the strawberries
into her trolley.
Pallets of strawberries
are unloaded from an aeroplane.
Young woman to friend:
"Would you like some?"
Friend: "Good
idea."
They move off.
In voice-over, the
young woman thinks: Strawberries in winter, it seems silly to me...
In voice-over,
the young man thinks: I often have the feeling I buy for no reason.
|
7 - RAFINERY
EXT. NIGHT
|
The
flames from the chimneystacks of an oil refinery tare up the night.
(Have a startling effect on the spectator as a reminder of the danger
approaching, unrelated to what happens before or after).
The Hadley centre,
a research centre on the evolution of climate. Scientists work in front
of their computer screens attempting to understand the risks of undergoing
a climate change.
|
 |
Voice-over narration:
The IPCC, Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change, has been holding meetings since 1988. This
assembly of eminent scientists and economists was set up by the UN to
better understand the impact our activities have on global warming.
Here, image of
the UN. Next shot, Brazilian scientists in the process of measuring
the absorption of CO2 by the Amazonian forest.
The IPCC's conclusions confirm the existing consensus within the
scientific community: our CO2 emissions threaten the climate of the
Earth. Global
warming is already responsible for a portion of the natural disasters
that we are enduring, such as fires, floods, storms and droughts.
|
 |
We can observe how they grow in frequency and in strength. The number
of major storms has doubled in the last 35 years.
Massive fires devastate
a forested area. Floods paralyse entire cities.
Voice-over narration:
It is now a certainty: our industrial civilization has reached its
limit. We have to think about the future in other terms than in fossil
energy. It
is hard to admit, but the industrial countries have until 2050 to achieve
a fourfold reduction of their CO2 emissions. (on this factor 4 see
ecotaxes-60000jobs
and also jancovici)
|
 |
Yes,
but how? How to diminish the consumption of fossil fuel and uranium, in
order to turn completely towards the renewable energies? This is the question
that we need to retain, and in an urgent manner. |
 |
We
believe that the ecological tax reform, also known as "ecotax",
is one answer to this challenge. |
 |
Since
the beginning of the petrol era, there has only been one period of significant
decrease in consumption. In 1974, OPEC decided to triple the price of
crude oil leading to a historical
decrease in pollution. Worth noting here, is that the most efficient
way to diminish the consumption of petrol is by increasing its price.
That is what the ecotax proposes. |
 |
Planet
appears holding two glasses
An
increase in the oil tax rates is obviously political and economic suicide.
Here,
the planet is sad and starts going red with the first glass getting
filled up - petrol is more expensive.
For
this reason the revenue generated by the ecological tax reform is used
almost entirely to lower and stabilize non-wage labour costs.
The
second glass fills up while we hear the sound of clinking coins falling.
The planet
smiles and becomes greener.
Thus,
one speaks of a tax shift ; this means a shift of taxation from non-wage
labour costs onto CO2. One part of the collected taxes goes to financing
renewable energies. In effect, the tax rate does not increase, it is
simply displaced.
|
 |
Illustrations
: Skyscraper in N-Y.
The
Earth turns in the models of the Hadley centre, more or less green,
more or less red, depending on the scenario.
|
 |
Pop-up
added to image: a gas pump with prices that vary, wind generator.
Wind
generator in construction.
Airplane with CO2 inserted on it.
|
 |
By
taxing progressively and significantly each tonne of CO2 released into
the atmosphere, the ecotax automatically reduces the consumption of fossil
fuel based products. |
 |
This
takes place in economic sectors such as transport, industry and agriculture,
as well as in the heating of buildings. |
 |
Greenhouse
gasses present a cost to the collectivity that is not reflected in the
actual price of fossil fuels.
Here
image of high polluting industry
The ecological
tax reform satisfies the polluter-payer principle by re-establishing
realistic prices, it helps improve the functioning of the market.
|
 |
Good
for employment, good for the climate and neutral for the wallets, the
ecological tax reform has been adopted in Germany since 1999.
Long,
very convincing images of polluting industries.
|
8 - STREET EXT. DAYTIME
 |
By increasing the price of fossil fuels, the ecotax will help us change
collectively our consumption habits.
The
young woman in pink walks with her children on her way to school.
|
 |
Young
woman explains in voice-over: The gas costs a little more. I accompany
them more often by foot. I get less stressed. It is not always easy to
change your habits. Here, I don't really have a choice, I have to take
the price increase into account, I have to adapt, which isn't a bad thing.
Modern public transportation:
new silent and smooth trams, comfortable buses, and a welcoming train
station. The deafening sound of motor vehicles becomes more and more
distant.
|
9 - SUPERMARCHE. ETIQUETTES
|
|
All the goods we buy and sell everyday have a hidden energy contents. The petrol needed to produce and transport them. We
now have to re-establish an economic system that is more in tune with
our natural environment.
At
the fruit and vegetable isle the prices of the strawberries and oranges
increase, where as that of the apples from the Valais, Switzerland diminishes.
But the drop in price is not as important as the increase. The increase
in prices can be explained by the fact that certain fruit come from
far away and that using polluting transportation facilities has become
more expensive. The decrease in price however, is triggered by the tax
break on the non-wage labour costs.
|
 |
Interview
of the young woman that was buying strawberries: It is not so obvious
to get rid of your bad habits. Now that the imported fruits are more
expensive, we think twice about it.
Friend
: I don't even think about it, if it is too expensive, I don't buy.
|
10. Market for carbon credits
|
|
To
start reducing our CO2 emissions, the Kyoto protocol has put into place
a market for carbon credits. The big enterprises are attributed a maximum
quota of CO2 emissions, those who succeed in surpassing their reduction
goals can then sell precious emission credits to the others.
But
the ecological tax reform goes much further. Only this reform will effectively
allow us to reduce our petrol consumption by ¾.
Image
of parabolic sensors in construction
|
11 – BALLOON ANIMATION
|
|
The
balloon animation starts already, even when the text below is still
has not come to an end. In a field two balloon pilots blow up their
balloons with hot air. One of the balloons being lighter starts to rise.
On this balloon, the sponsor has written its name in large letters:
POLLUTION
The
other balloon is called EMPLOYMENT, it has more trouble rising. It rises
slowly. The heavy sand bags that hang on either side of the basket hinder
it.
Little
flying characters appear in the image and fix the situation by making
the EMPLOYMENT balloon lighter so it can then start to rise; and add
the sand bags to the POLLUTION balloon, which goes further and further
down and also deflates, thus demonstrating that pollution is decreasing.
This
reform is a shift in the imposition of taxes. By progressively taxing
all the polluting sources of energy, this tax reform discourages their
utilisation. In this manner, billions can be recovered and used to reduce
the non-wage labour expenses and to develop renewable energies.
The
money dedicate to the purchase of petrol could be better utilised to
produce locally renewable energies, or to save energy.
[For
example by reducing its petrol importation by 10%, Switzerland could
create 10 000 employments.]
End of the
balloon animation
We
all desire to act in favour of the environment. But as individuals we
are powerless when facing the formidable challenges of climate change.
The
ecotax is a tool that can help us act collectively.
Images
of solar panels tracking the sun.
|
12– RENEWABLE ENGERGIES. EXT.
DAYTIME
|
|
Hundreds
of solar panels on a rooftop.
A
wind farm in Denmark. Close up, a huge blade turns slowly in the middle
of the fields.
Wide
shot, ten blades dominate the plain and turn in synchronisation. Their
impressive height confers sentiment of power.
Voice-over
narration: The ecological tax reform is not a new tax imposition:
the integrity of the sums collected need to be distributed. In Germany,
despite an economic crisis, the tax on polluting energies has permitted
the creation of 60
000 jobs within the renewable energies and energy conservation sector.
It is truly the opening of a new market: a local commodity chain for
the provision of energy. (On the german ecotax see also DIW
ernegy policy)
A
wind farm in the Danish off-shores (by the dozen)
|
13
- BEACH. EXT. DAYTIME
|
|
A
beach in the summer, some kids are playing in the waves, some adults
are lying in the sun. Fade in - progression on the same landscape, idyllic,
empty of all human beings.
Voice-over
narration: The ecological tax reform is difficult to put into practice.
But it is the only manner to seriously reduce our CO2 emissions. In
the mean time, every day living species disappear forever. BUT we STILL
have a choice, we can change.
|
| |
END
|
An
idea of the timing
1 - CHALET. EXT. DAYTIME 45''
2 - BEACH. EXT. DAYTIME 1'15''
3 - CARBON CYCLE ANIMATION 45''
4 - CAR. EXT. DAYTIME 1'05''
5 A - DESERTS 20''
5 B - ANIMATION electrocardiogram 1'15''
6 - SUPERMARKET INT. NIGHT 40''
7 - COMMENTARIES ON THE ECOTAX 1'35''
8 - STREET. EXT. DAYTIME 25''
9 - CEMENT FACTORY EXT. DAYTIME 50''
10 - SUPERMARKET. PRICE TAGS 25''
11 - MARKET CREDIT FOR CO2 30''
12 - BALLOONS 45''
13 - CHALET EXT. DAY CIGRETTES 30''
14 - RENEWABLE ENERGIES 30''
15 - BEACH END 20''
TOTAL 13'30''
