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U.S. Emissions Rise 4.2%, China's Fall 2.7%

(www.theenergymix.com)
196 points triceratops | 1 comments | 02 Sep 25 20:02 UTC | HN request time: 0.217s | source
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K0nserv ◴[02 Sep 25 21:48 UTC] No.45109548[source]▶
The US, like most democracies, is worse at long term planning. It needs robust incentives to counteract short term instincts.

A $100/ton carbon tax would raise $490b(based on 4.9 billion tons of co2 emissions[0]) per year that could be distributed to lower income households (to offset the effect, making the tax progressive) and be used to fund green energy investment.

0: https://ourworldindata.org/co2/country/united-states

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panarchy ◴[02 Sep 25 22:24 UTC] No.45109896[source]▶
And the first person to come along screaming "I will cut the carbon tax that is making your life unaffordable!" will be elected
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bigbadfeline ◴[03 Sep 25 01:21 UTC] No.45111229[source]▶
Well, make life afordable then, a simple solution. After that is achieved, make de-carbonated energy naturally cheaper than the carbon-based alternatives - there will be no need for carbon taxation and the right won't be able to mount a successful attack.
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1. crowbahr ◴[03 Sep 25 21:13 UTC] No.45120457[source]▶
The problem isn't the affordability of life, it's the perception of affordability of life.

If Fox News spends $200M of screen time telling everyone that the tax is making all the prices of everything go up then that will be the predominant talking point.

That's the whole issue with "post truth" - perception _is_ reality at this point, at least effectively.