A Carbon Tax is Necessary to Combat Climate Change
I vacation in Maine every summer near Acadia National Park. There is a breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean and a strong smell of salt in the air. I can view mountains to the left and the glistening water in front of me. Acadia is one of the many natural treasures on our planet. Our Earth is a beautiful place, and as the dominant species living here, humanity is responsible to maintain its beauty and take care of the environment. Whether you travel to Venice, Italy, Lake Geneva, Switzerland, Seoul, South Korea, or your own backyard, there is life and beauty all around us and it is being threatened. Before we know it, we will be living on a planet that is desolate and barren. No people, no plants or animals, no life. Nothingness. Pretty scary isn’t it?
If we continue to use fossil fuels to power our homes, buildings, cars, and more, our planet will suffer dramatically. If private and public corporations continue fueling operations with fossil fuels, this image of nothingness might be closer than you think. The overall global climate is becoming increasingly unbalanced as the climate crisis continues. “Analysis by NOAA shows that average global temperatures in 2020 were 1.76 degrees F (0.98 degrees C) warmer than the 20th century average — making it the second-hottest year on record” (Conservation.org). Several nations are beginning to transition to sustainable energy sources; however, several billion tons of carbon dioxide are still being released into the atmosphere annually. There is no Planet B, and unless earth is not protected, it will be destroyed. In order to prevent further warming of the Earth and reduce the effects of climate change, the United States must take more drastic steps, including enacting a nationwide tax on carbon dioxide.
A tax on carbon dioxide emissions will decrease the amount of harmful chemicals emitted into the atmosphere, preventing further damage to the Earth’s climate. The main cause of climate change is the emission of greenhouse gases. According to NASA, “Human activities (primarily the burning of fossil fuels) have fundamentally increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere, warming the planet.” Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, and when it is airborne it absorbs sunlight and re-radiates heat, causing the earth to warm, which is known as the “greenhouse effect.” The overwhelming amount of CO2 in the atmosphere contributes to extreme weather conditions, for example, an increase in wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, droughts, ocean acidification, sea level rise, crack of the polar vortex, and more. If there is a decrease in the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere, specifically carbon dioxide, it will reduce the cases of extreme weather.
Not only will the tax assist in repairing the environment, innovative technology will also be developed in order to generate energy. With the tax, new clean energy methods will be created. Major corporations will try to find the cheapest and most effective way to generate energy without relying on fossil fuels. According to the Brookings Institution, “carbon pricing forces firms to internalize the cost of carbon emitted during production, such that they have to incorporate the cost of environmental damage in their production decisions.” Every company wants to spend as little money as possible while making a large profit. The carbon tax will require companies to effectively plan to use less fossil fuels and gradually increase the use of clean energy sources. In addition, the consumer will also be taxed. When you go to buy gas, there will be an extra expense, urging the public to transition to cleaner modes of transportation. There will be a large tax break in 2030 for corporations who achieve carbon neutrality by then. The revenue from the tax will go towards nature conservation and sustainable infrastructure projects. Sweden implemented a carbon tax in 1991, and after 30 years, their carbon emissions have been reduced by 27 percent. They have successfully instituted a carbon tax while maintaining their GDP projected growth.
Those who oppose this claim believe that imposing a carbon dioxide tax will be difficult for congress to implement. Forbes editor Marie Sapirie expresses concerns on the high expense on companies and individuals, and what should be done with the tax revenue. Although Sapirie makes relevant points, every tax and bill has several parts to it, and it can be challenging to make decisions that benefit everybody. This tax is one of many steps necessary to combat climate change, and it is up to congress to set guidelines for the major emitters of carbon dioxide. It is likely that expenses will cost significantly more in the future unless we work on mitigating the impacts of climate change now. By enforcing this legislation, the United States can pave the way for other countries, and major emitters like China and India.
Climate change is the world’s most pressing problem, and as our population grows, it continues to worsen. Without immediate action, our ecosystems will crumble, food production will slow, and species will become extinct. Ralph Keeling, a scientist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography states, “We treat the atmosphere like this big waste dump” (National Geographic). People do not care about what is released into the air because they don’t think it has a big impact. This issue will continue to affect our planet and our way of life unless there is significant change from world leaders and the global population. One of the most effective ways to address this problem is to enact carbon pricing, like a carbon tax. Without this, companies will continue to emit tons of carbon, perpetuating the issue and negatively impacting the environment. So what can we do? As citizens and climate activists, you can write to your senators or representatives, and gather to protest for legislative action. This tax is a vital step in the fight for our future. Time is of the essence, and unless action is taken, the treasures of our planet will be forgotten.
How you can take action:
Works Cited
Borunda, Alejandra. “CO2 Emissions Declines from Lockdowns Will Not Solve the Climate Crisis.” Science, National Geographic, 3 May 2021, www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/plunge-in-carbon-emissions-lockdowns-will-not-slow-climate-change?loggedin=true.
Conservation.org. “Climate Change: 11 Facts You Need to Know.” Climate Change — 11 Facts You Need To Know, www.conservation.org/stories/11-climate-change-facts-you-need-to-know.
Global Footprint Network. “How Many Planets Does It Take to Sustain Your Lifestyle?” Ecological Footprint Calculator, www.footprintcalculator.org/home/en.
Mellimage/Shutterstock.com. “This Is a Picture of Extreme Weather Conditions.” National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2022, climate.nasa.gov/effects/.
National Geographic, director. Climate Change: It’s Real. It’s Serious. And It’s up to Us to Solve It. YouTube, YouTube, 20 Nov. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok8rMT2KCy0.
NASA. “The Causes of Climate Change.” NASA, NASA, 30 Nov. 2021, climate.nasa.gov/causes/.
Patnaik, Sanjay, and Kelly Kennedy. “Why the US Should Establish a Carbon Price Either through Reconciliation or Other Legislation.” Brookings, Brookings, 7 Oct. 2021, www.brookings.edu/research/why-the-us-should-establish-a-carbon-price-either-through-reconciliation-or-other-legislation/.
Pixabay. “The Earth Turning to Dust Signifying Warming.” Phys.org, 19 Oct. 2021, phys.org/news/2021–10-climate-action-avert-health-catastrophe.html.
“Sign the Petition.” Change.org, Change.org, www.change.org/p/carbon-tax-petition-creating-a-nationwide-carbon-tax.
Staff, Tax Notes. “The Case against a Carbon Tax.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 10 Dec. 2021, www.forbes.com/sites/taxnotes/2021/08/13/the-case-against-a-carbon-tax/?sh=2227458318ba.
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. “It Is a Graph of Greenhouse Gas Emissions over a Certain Period of Time.” Tax Foundation, 23 Sept. 2020, taxfoundation.org/sweden-carbon-tax-revenue-greenhouse-gas-emissions/.
U.S. House of Representatives. “Find Your Representative.” Find Your Representative, www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative.
