In This Issue:
#1: Robert Reich video: “Can we address climate change and boost the economy? Yes we can.”
#2: Mike Sandler, Huffington Post: The Pope’s leadership opens the way for just solutions to the climate crisis
#3: US Climate Plan: Leaders of state pricing carbon efforts gather in DC to advance pricing carbon movement
#4: Oregon Climate leader testifies before state Senate committee
#5: Morning Consult: How to sell a carbon tax to voters
#6: Best of the Left: Cap and dividend for a healthy climate
#7: Movement Generation: Time to talk about carbon caps in the US
#8: Dave Roberts, Vox: Big oil wants a price on carbon
#9: Waco, Texas letter to the editor
#10: HR 1027 co-sponsor list keeps growing
#1: Robert Reich video: “Can we address climate change and boost the economy? Yes we can.”
“The sky belongs to all of us. But polluters are getting away with poisoning it for free. We should start charging them rent. A simple tax on carbon would change the economics of polluting. This tax could raise about $1.2 billion over the next decade. We could use that money the way Alaska does with it oil revenues and distribute the money equally to every American as a kind of dividend, a basic income for all Americans.”
#2: Mike Sandler, Huffington Post: The Pope’s leadership opens the way for just solutions to the climate crisis:
“The Pope’s Encyclical raises the possibility that in the coming months leading up to the UN Climate Conference in Paris, a project could emerge to link protection of the climate commons and battling global poverty. As those planning to attend Paris prepare to assess the equity components of their Parties’ contributions, and consider how to ratchet up their ambition, they should pause, think of the Pope’s Encyclical, and remember to advocate for a global institution that can implement a carbon price and return revenues back to people.”
#3: US Climate Plan: Leaders of state pricing carbon efforts gather in DC to advance pricing carbon movement:
“Evan Weber, executive director of U.S. Climate Plan, added, ‘Economists, scientists, and advocates have long pushed for national climate legislation, but great change in this country often starts with the states and works its way up. These inspiring state efforts may be our best bet to get a nationwide price on climate pollution. And that type of policy might be our best hope to ultimately stabilize the climate.’”
#4: Oregon Climate leader testifies before state Senate committee:
“Proving the model of effective climate legislation means committing to bipartisanship. From the very time that you even start talking about it, in an informational hearing, we make the commitment: this is not designed to raise revenue. This is not designed to support bigger government. This is designed to control fossil fuels, to disperse the stakeholdership, and really create a predictable transition for the next era of energy consumption.”
#5: Morning Consult: How to sell a carbon tax to voters:
“Passing carbon tax legislation might be a long shot, but the latest Morning Consult survey suggests there’s one good way to pitch it to voters: tell them the proceeds will wind up in their pockets. Outside of Congress some proponents, including the New York Times editorial board, are embracing carbon tax legislation that would refund households through direct payments to offset the impact – particularly on the poor – of higher electricity and gasoline prices. A majority of the public likes that idea.”
#6: Best of the Left: Cap and dividend for a healthy climate:
“Corporations clearly don’t respect anything unless it costs money. It’s time they respected climate impact by having to consider the price tag while making decisions on energy-use. Changing the way businesses approach consumption while reducing CO2 by 80% over the next 35 years and raising money for those who need it most would be a cross-category win.”
#7: Movement Generation: Time to talk about carbon caps in the US:
“It is a solution that takes a serious and uncompromising stance on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. While not constructing the KXL pipeline prevents already dangerously high greenhouse emission levels from increasing, it does nothing to reduce them. This bill does exactly that.”
#8: Dave Roberts, Vox: Big oil wants a price on carbon?:
“In the long term, these companies are making a fateful wager: that they can participate in global decarbonization in a way that allows them time to establish a predictable market environment, make a lot of money, and manage a long-term transition away from their core products. It’s risky, but at this point it may be their only option. European oil companies realize: if you’re not at the climate policy table, you’re on the climate policy menu.”
#9: Waco, Texas letter to the editor:
“A majority of Americans recognize the threat of climate change and many have taken action to reduce their carbon footprint through conservation, recycling and support of renewable energy technology. Now an opportunity to support legislation to combat climate change has arisen.”
#10: HR 1027 co-sponsor list keeps growing
The Healthy Climate and Family Security Act of 2015, HR 1027, currently has 26 House co-sponsors:
Rep. Donald Beyer (VA-8)
Rep. Matt Cartwright (PA-17)
Rep. Alan Lowenthal (CA-47)
Rep. Gerry Connolly (VA-11)
Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Earl (OR-3)
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large)
Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ-3)
Rep. Peter Welch (VT-At Large)
Rep. Charles Rangel (NY-13)
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-19)
Rep. Adam Schiff (CA-28)
Rep. Grace Napolitano (CA-32)
Rep. Michael Honda (CA-17)
Rep. John Conyers (MI-13)
Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-13)
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11)
Rep. Jerry McNerney (CA-9)
Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-33)
Rep. Janice Hahn (CA-44)
Rep. James McGovern (MA-2)
Rep. Janice Schakowsky (IL-9)
Rep. Keith Ellison (MN-5)
Rep. Alcee Hastings (FL-20)
Rep. Sam Farr (CA-20)
Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-09)
Rep. Nydia Velasquez (NY-07)
CCAN encourages readers of the Pricing Carbon, Paying Dividends Policy Update to distribute it to others who might be interested. We welcome input on the contents of this publication and ideas for what could be included.
Send to Ted Glick at ted@chesapeakeclimate.org.