$1000 / ton Carbon Tax? Climate Scientist Demands the Alleged Damage of Fossil Fuel be Fully Priced
21 hours ago
Eric Worrall
Guest essay by Eric Worrall
Climate scientist David Lowe is horrified democratic governments like New Zealand are only charging double digit carbon prices – he thinks the true cost of carbon is around $1000 / ton, and should be imposed in a way which spans administrations.
Humans already have the tools to combat climate change but we lack leadership
In this extract, top atmospheric scientist Dave Lowe explains why despite political inaction he believes we can build a sustainable future
Dave Lowe
Mon 10 May 2021 06.00 AEST
When it comes to the political will and leadership needed to drive the world towards a sustainable future, I’m a pessimist. Time and time again, I’ve heard rhetoric from politicians focusing on short-term goals at the expense of planning for the future. In 2021, the mainstream media promote responsible journalism and take a hard line with climate deniers. Many journalists hold governments to account over climate change goals. However, hard scientific data is often still manipulated and cherrypicked by politicians. I’ve spoken to many and liken the experience to walking through treacle.
Does their bland decision-making have to do with the structure of democracy itself, with its short electoral terms and lack of incentives for incumbent politicians to make hard and binding decisions for the decades ahead?
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2021/05/10/1000-ton-carbon-tax-climate-scientist-demands-the-damage-of-fossil-fuel-be-fully-priced/
