Old Guards, New Levies: Ex-Leaders Demand a Fossil Fuel Tax Reckoning
The Big Picture
A heavyweight roster of 38 former presidents, prime ministers, and ex-UN chief Ban Ki-moon just crashed the climate-tax party, urging governments to slap permanent “polluter profit” taxes on oil, gas, and other high-emitting industries. Their open letter, published Wednesday, lands weeks before COP30 and piles fresh political heat on treasuries already eyeing new revenue streams.
The Details
In the joint missive, the former leaders back a levy that would funnel fossil-fuel windfalls into climate-damage relief, echoing a demand long championed by civil-society groups. “This is a powerful call … to make oil and gas corporations pay their fair share,” Greenpeace campaign lead Rebecca Newsom told Greenpeace International. A parallel report by Euronews notes that the signatories want proceeds directed toward a “just transition” for vulnerable nations.
The reaction was swift: CommonDreams said the letter “shows political will is catching up with public opinion,” citing polling that 8 in 10 people worldwide support such taxes (CommonDreams). Oil majors kept mum, but finance ministries from Norway to Nigeria (Nigerian Tax Laws 2025 - Comprehensive Tax Reform Legislation) are already crunching numbers on potential intake.
Around the Tax World
• HMRC talks up its AI sidekick. The UK tax authority’s innovation head David Johnson revealed that automation handled 13 million transactions last year,saving the equivalent of 400 staff,but admitted the agency must “reassure taxpayers Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025” about how the tech is used (International Tax Review).
• Global minimum-tax face-off. U.S. Treasury’s push for a “side-by-side” carve-out from the OECD’s 15% minimum rate is irking allies worried about losing competitiveness, according to Bloomberg Tax. Diplos have until Dec. 31 to hash out a compromise.
• Pakistan’s Instagram audit. A million-dollar wedding video posted online triggered the Federal Board of Revenue to expand a social-media trawl for undeclared wealth, NDTV reports (NDTV).