The next stage of congestion charging in London will be a move to emissions-based charging. This will be aimed at deterring vehicles with the highest carbon emissions, like sports utility vehicles, from entering the city center. The new program will impose a payment of £25 per day for such vehicles, as well as abolish the 90-percent exemption that their owners would receive if they were residents of the congestion charging zone. Incidentally, this charge for S.U.V.’s enjoys 3-to-1 popular support.

So says the mayor of London, in an op-ed in today’s New York Times. What leadership! What poise! Incidentally, you’ll notice Mr.Livingstone did not form a single committee in advance of pursuing this new and highly controversial approach.