Climate scientists know solutions

The Times Union has published letters on carbon tax legislation written by local members of Citizens Climate Lobby. They typically acknowledge the reality of climate change and celebrate a carbon dividend bill in Congress.

Let’s learn about the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, the legislation that would tax carbon dioxide emissions. First, the cost of the tax as proposed ultimately will be borne by the enduser (that’s why the bill proposes paying a dividend — to make this tax less painful). Second, the legislation is presented as revenue neutral, meaning all the taxes collected will be distributed — but — the dividend would be taxable income. Third, taxpayers, not the industry, will pay for administration of the payment/mailing. Fourth, Section 8 of the bill, according to a Citizens Climate Lobby training video, is a “GOP directive” that would allow the Environmental Protection Agency to suspend its regulation of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide emissions if they are taxed. Lastly, the legislation does nothing to hold the industry to account for any of the associated cost, now shouldered by taxpayers, of the billions needed annually to fund the Federal Emergency Management Agency at ground zero of our catastrophic weather events caused by global warming.

Citizens Climate Lobby cites economists who support the plan, but perhaps we need to listen to climate scientists’ solutions that were included in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report: end fossil fuel subsidies, install multilateral governmental regulation of carbon dioxide emissions, and invest in renewable energy at war-level spending.

I would rather not get paid to create more carbon dioxide and hasten our demise.