Dear Editor
I agree whole heartedly with Mr. Carpentier that we have to make good choices and take actions like planting trees, commuting and shopping wisely, and reducing single-use plastics.
We also need to make decisions based on the best available facts, and from what I am reading, putting a price on carbon is one of the most effective tools in the toolbox to fight our climate crisis. Why do I believe that? Because in October two economists were awarded the Nobel Prize for economics for demonstrating that pricing carbon works to reduce emissions.
Then, in January, the Wall Street Journal published the largest public statement by economists in history, signed by 27 Nobel Laureate economists, over 3,500 other economists, all former chairs of the Federal Reserve, 15 former U.S. federal economic advisors and more. It opened by stating: “Global climate change is a serious problem calling for immediate national action. Guided by sound economic principles, we are united in the following policy recommendations: 1. A carbon tax offers the most cost-effective lever to reduce carbon emissions at the scale and speed that is necessary . . . to steer economic actors towards a low-carbon future.”
In Canada, many groups have come out in support of carbon pricing, including The Business Council of Canada, representing 150 leading companies from every major industry and region. It said it “welcomes the federal government’s announcement regarding its plan to implement carbon pricing in Canada. For many years we have advocated for carbon pricing as the most efficient means to contribute to achieving Canada’s climate change goals.”
I understand carbon pricing needs to be broadly adopted. That’s why it’s great to hear that more and more countries and jurisdictions, including in China and India, are putting a price on pollution. The World Bank reports that, so far, 40 countries and 20 cities or regions are pricing carbon.
While we can debate the method of applying a carbon tax, it’s critical to start reducing emissions immediately if we hope to put the brakes on runaway climate disruption. And pricing carbon is recognized worldwide as one effective way to do that. We can all help this fall by supporting political leaders who also recognize the importance of carbon pricing.
Ginny Colling, Seagrave