The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not Eureka! (I found it!) but rather, "hmm.... that's funny...." Isaac Asimov

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Revenue-neutral Carbon Tax Gaining Support


NOTE:  I posted the article below in July of 2014. Since then, the idea that a price must be put on carbon pollution has gained considerable support.  There are now seven bills before the 116th U.S. Congress that would put a price on carbon.  The best in my view is H.R. 763, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. Others include the Stemming Warming, Augmenting Pay Act, H.R. 4058; the Raise Wages Cut Carbon Act, H.R. 3966; the Climate Action Rebate Act, S. 2284 & H.R. 4051; the America Wins Act, H.R. 4142; the American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act, S. 1128, and the Healthy Climate and Family Security Act, S. 940 & H.R. 1960.  As of this writing, September, 2019, the idea is clearly well beyond the talking stage.  It seems inevitable to me that eventually this great country will wake up to the need to limit the emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and will enact legislation that will do that.  Those members of Congress who have proposed or co-sponsored the bills listed above are leading the way. 

In late June, 2014, with over 600 other members of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL),  I was in DC to lobby Congress to support a steadily increasing revenue-neutral carbon tax.   We met with over 500 Congressional offices.  
A revenue-neutral carbon tax meshes with both liberal and conservative agendas.  For an example of recent Republican support, see http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/22/opinion/sunday/lessons-for-climate-change-in-the-2008-recession.html?_r=0 

CCL just released a report of a major study that explains why the concept is gaining traction; it can drastically cut carbon dioxide emissions without harming the economy.  For more, see http://citizensclimatelobby.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/REMI-carbon-tax-report-62141.pdf