By Pete Marsters and Noah Kaufman
Climate change presents serious threats to the economy, the environment, and national security. To address these threats, a growing number of influential businesses, scientists, NGOs, policymakers, and thought leaders are calling for a carbon tax, which would put a price on carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Economists point to a price on GHGs as a key part of a strategy to address climate risks cost-effectively.
Last week, three new carbon tax proposals were released in Congress: Rep. Rooney’s bill and Rep. Lipinski’s bill in the House of Representatives, and the Coons/Feinstein bill in the Senate. Given the unprecedented level of movement in Congress surrounding carbon tax legislation, the Center on Global Energy Policy’s Carbon Tax Research Initiative launched a new online resource that explains what you need to know about a federal carbon tax in the United States, including comparisons of the existing federal carbon tax legislation introduced thus far.