B.C. implemented the carbon tax July 2008 under the Liberal government but NDP leader Carole James promises to axe the tax as part of her party's platform for the May 12 B. C. election. James says it is "the wrong tax at the wrong time," and that a cap-and-trade system will distribute the burden more fairly on large-scale polluters.

"The NDP has chosen what they think will be a publicly acceptable but climate-irresponsible approach. And that is, they want to step backward on the pricing of carbon and backwards on the policies in place in the hopes that may get them elected," Merran Smith, a climate director with ForestEthics, said Monday.

Environmental critics say the NDP plan could cost the province thousands of jobs in the green economy, loose its position as an environmental leader and simply delay urgently needed action on climate change.