Carbon dividends an effective solution
The New York state Legislature’s plan to hold hearings on the climate threat is a hopeful sign. This move marks a shift in the Republican-controlled state Senate and demonstrates that the climate threat is becoming less partisan as its risks become more clear. Now, the next sign of hope would be for meaningful progress to come from these hearings.
Like most New Yorkers, I feel that eliminating greenhouse gas emissions and moving to renewable energy is a huge step in the right direction. However, setting a goal for 2050 is too late. The consequences of the climate threat are appearing here and now, remember the polar vortex causing frigid temperatures even here in the Northeast. Setting a climate-based goal for 31 years from now will be too little and too late. For the climate threat to be addressed, we need to act now.
Recently, many major economists and Federal Reserve chairs signed on to a bipartisan agreement stating that carbon dividends are an economically sound way to tackle the climate threat. I personally feel that a carbon dividends plan is an effective and feasible solution. It would help reduce carbon pollution and spur innovation using a conservative free-market approach. I hope the New York Legislature makes an informed decision about the climate threat in order to secure the future of our state, our country and our world. rohit Giridharan Nanuet Yale University Class of 2022 Media Outreach Team Lead, Students for Carbon Dividends