What does carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions mean?
Fuels release the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Methane and nitrous oxide have different warming effects on the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. The warming effect of these two gases can be expressed in amounts of carbon dioxide that has the same warming effect over a period of time. The tax rates, effective July 1, 2009, are based on $15 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from the combustion of each fuel. The tax rate will increase by $5 per tonne on July 1 of each year until July 1, 2012. The tax rates for 2013 and after have not yet been determined.
