James Hansen makes the clearest plea yet for a new approach to tackle climate change which calls for Cap and Dividend – very similar to our own Feasta’s Cap and Share. He says in this short extract…
” We need a rising price on carbon applied at the source (the mine, wellhead, or port of entry). The fee will affect all activities that use fossil fuels, directly or indirectly. The entire fee collected from fossil fuel companies should be distributed to the public. In this fee-and-dividend approach people maintaining a carbon footprint smaller than average will receive more in the dividend than they pay via increased energy costs. The monthly dividend, deposited electronically in their bank account or on their debit card, will stimulate the economy and provide people with the means to increase their carbon efficiency. All that governments need do is divide the collected revenue by the number of shares, with half-shares for children, up to two children per family.
Copenhagen Has Given Us the Chance to Face Climate Change With Honesty, by James Hansen
Published on Sunday, December 27, 2009 by The Observer/UK
