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Charles March’s March 4 column in the Bangor Daily News, “Carbon pricing to combat climate change,” is spot on. If we recognize the costs of carbon pollution produced from fossil fuels and build that into the pricing structure, it will use the market’s power to achieve the results we want and while giving consumers choice to make their own energy decisions.
Consumers will respond to price signals. Climate simulation models tell us that we won’t meet our climate targets otherwise. Two-thirds of all voters, including 75 percent of Republicans under 40 and a high percentage of Democrats are concerned about climate change and want Congress to act. We need national carbon pricing legislation if we are going to effectively lower carbon emissions and our legislators won’t do it if we don’t tell them that we want it.
The most effective, efficient and fair way to tackle climate change is carbon pricing combined with cashback dividends and a border adjustment, like the plan mentioned. The market concept of carbon pricing is supported by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable, as well as many individual businesses, big and small. Please tell Congress to support the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act.
Jeff Jones
Bangor