Political divisions are higher than ever in our country. A recent Pew Research Survey found that 44 percent of each party’s membership almost never agrees with their opposition —that’s close to half of both parties. Twenty years ago, the number was less than 20 percent. Congressional gridlock is extremely high: both parties are obsessed with political survival. We’ve already seen the government shut down once this year. If we can’t work together, we'll all lose…
Read MoreCarbon emissions pose an urgent public health problem, with fossil fuel combustion-related pollution contributing to 8,312 premature deaths annually in New Jersey. Furthermore, New Jersey faces significant threats from climate change: sea-level rise alone is projected to force 174,000 – 480,000 New Jersey residents to relocate by 2100. New Jersey faces extensive economic and human costs from increased extreme weather and flooding, agricultural and fishing damages, heat-related health problems, and increased rates of disease. It is clear that we must take action to combat carbon emissions, but an effective solution must balance the need to cut emissions with maintaining the health of New Jersey’s economy.
A carbon fee and dividend policy presents a simple, efficient solution to carbon emissions, while promoting the economic welfare of many New Jersey citizens and businesses. It has a proven track record: previous carbon fee policies have significantly reduced emissions without hurting the economy in British Columbia, Canada; Denmark; Ireland; and Boulder, Colorado. This policy places a fee on emissions-generating fuels, making carbon pollution more expensive and adjusting the market to reflect the social costs of carbon. This encourages actors across the economy to reduce their emissions. The vast majority of the money collected under the fee will be returned to households and vulnerable businesses through dividends to help adapt to the increases in energy costs, ensuring that this policy does not significantly harm low and moderate-income families. In addition, a portion of the collected fees may be used for investment in programs with significant emissions-reduction potential and adaptation to the threats posed by carbon emissions, climate change, and a changing energy economy.
Email us at nj.carbon.fee.and.dividend@gmail.com if you want to view the paper.
Read MoreAs a single student, you may feel frustrated that you cannot impact world affairs, or that even if you really tried to, the time commitment would take away from your future career. My experience says differently. Student advocates can make an enormous impact with much less effort than any activist outside college, while still building valuable skills for their own futures...
Read MoreIn February, a group of elder statesmen of the Republican Party, including two former Secretaries of State and Secretaries of Treasury, George Shultz and James Baker, proposed a politically ambitious plan for Republican leadership on climate change by pricing carbon emissions. “The Conservative Case for Carbon Dividends” seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by internalizing climate costs associated with fossil fuels, while simultaneously encouraging innovation and US dominance in the emerging clean energy market. The proposal has four main pillars: a rising fee on carbon dioxide emissions; return of the revenue to all Americans in the form of a quarterly dividend; border adjustments for both imports and exports to maintain American competitiveness; and a significant rollback of redundant government regulations, including an “outright repeal of the Clean Power Plan”. By relying on market competition to preserve choice for both businesses and schools, and by reducing the level of government interference, the Carbon Fee-and-Dividend policy is a prime example of effective conservative economics. It would be a straightforward, principled, conservative solution to this century’s biggest challenge, and as such should as such be endorsed by the next generation of Princeton conservatives ... Read More
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