5 years ago
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How to win public support for a global carbon tax
Late last year, ‘yellow vest’ protests erupted across France. One trigger was a planned hike in the price of petrol. Fuel-tax rises, now on hold, are part of France’s strategy to reduce carbon emissions by 40% from 1990 levels by 2030 and phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040. Clearly, public opposition might hinder these efforts.
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FTA-"Imposing a cost on carbon is the most economically efficient way to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and keep global temperatures within the targets of the Paris climate agreement1. If heavy emitters must pay the most, they will shift to cleaner practices."
Wishful thinking. The only people who will pay are consumers and prices will never go down, I'm a hard core yellow vest when it comes to this money grabbing philosophy.
Can you hear that? What's that ticking sound?
And adding another tax just makes you poorer for the apocalypse. My humble opinion, is that it should be looked at as a national security issue....create a race to the moon mentality. That event alone drove thousands of practical inventions. Taxing existing infrastructure will not work, its not bold, its not even giving people an option....and the energy companies will pass it on....because you cant go anywhere else.
Fair play. Right up front, let's admit the obvious. We're too late.
If we're honest enough to face feedback loops like boiling methane in the permafrost contributing to more boiling methane in the permafrost, we can deal with the consequences of carbon taxes.
On the one hand you have uninhabitable Earth in our near-future. On the other you have the concern that a tax on carbon emissions from private jets and luxury yachts is theft.
Right, because if you want something done, do it as a large, government program. As basic research. With no funding. Maybe that is the best way to get to a dead world.
Let's say, for the sake of argument, that there is a real cost to carbon emissions. One we pay in terms of the survival of life as we know it on Earth. Carbon taxes would put that cost on balance sheets. What else would?
Given the stakes and the power of the resistance to it, yes, it is.
I may be part of the problem, just like anyone else, but then this isn't up to me. I don't have an option as it is. Not like some do.
That's how economics works.
You've hit the nail on the head.