Letter: Add a carbon tax to rebuilding efforts
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) addresses a news conference in Washington. (July 25, 2012) Credit: Getty Images
With the second multimillion-dollar contract still to be awarded and Sen. Charles Schumer planning a third phase to repair just one stretch of New York beach after superstorm Sandy, I’ve got sticker shock.
I appreciate that the rebuilding efforts are responding to rising sea levels and that we should expect more frequent and severe hurricanes thanks to climate change. Hopefully we are rebuilding smarter to withstand the next storm. However, adaptation only partially addresses climate change. We should reduce the effects of a changing climate through mitigation.
Scientists and economists agree that we can reduce carbon emissions, the largest contributor to climate change, by placing a steadily rising carbon tax on fossil fuels at the source. All of that revenue can be refunded to U.S. households to offset increased energy costs as we transition to lower carbon energy. This would reduce emissions and spur private investments in clean energy.
Let’s purchase some insurance on our rebuilding and adaptation efforts by passing a carbon tax with a dividend.
Lauren Hubbard, Port Jefferson
