<P> Switzerland is currently on track to meet its Kyoto Protocol commitment of an 8% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012 . The combination of the CO tax and other voluntary measures by businesses and private individuals is enabling Switzerland to achieve these reduction goals . </P> <P> In 1997 Costa Rica imposed a 3.5 percent carbon tax on hydrocarbon fuels . A portion of the funds generated by the tax go to "Payment for Environmental Services" (PSA) program which gives incentives to property owners to practice sustainable development and forest conservation . Approximately 11% of Costa Rica's national territory is protected by the plan . The program now pays out roughly $15 million a year to around 8,000 property owners . </P> <P> In the 2008 Canadian federal election, a carbon tax proposed by Liberal Party leader Stéphane Dion, known as the Green Shift, became a central issue in the campaign . It would have been revenue - neutral, with increased taxation on carbon being balanced by tax cuts for individual citizens . However, it proved to be unpopular and contributed to the defeat of Liberal Party with its worst share of the popular vote since Confederation . By contrast, the Conservative party, who won the election, had promised to "develop and implement a North American - wide cap - and - trade system for greenhouse gases and air pollution, with implementation to occur between 2012 and 2015 ." </P> <P> Although there is no federal carbon tax, some Canadian provinces do have carbon taxes: </P>

When was the carbon tax introduced in canada