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To: Your MP - findyourmp.parliament.uk

Establish Carbon Tax and Dividend in the UK

Ask the Government to introduce a UK Carbon Tax and Dividend - as proposed by the Citizens Climate Lobby’s (CCL) in the US: a revenue neutral tax whereby the revenue from a fee placed on fossil fuels, is returned to all households on an equitable basis to shield families from rising energy costs associated with the carbon fee/tax. It's a straightforward, equitable and efficient way rapidly to achieve large reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Why is this important?

Clearly moving from a fossil fuel to a low carbon economy is not happening with the necessary urgency for tackling climate change. Politicians are not honest with us about the damaging and widespread impacts of failing to put this central stage of Government policy and are frightened to impose further taxation on their electorate, knowing that many people would also oppose a carbon tax. A revenue neutral tax would change this.
A Carbon Fee (Tax) and Dividend would place a steadily-rising fee on the CO2 content of carbon-based fuels at the source (well, mine, port of entry). All revenue from the fee would be returned equitably to all households to shield families from rising energy costs.
Carbon tax border adjustments would protect exports and encourage importing countries to follow suit.
According to a study from Regional Economic Models, Inc., if the US placed a steadily-rising fee on the CO2 content of fuels, and if the revenue is given back to households in equal shares:
• In 20 years, CO2 emissions would be reduced 50% below 1990 levels
• Because of the economic stimulus of recycling carbon fee revenue back to households, in 20 years, 2.8 million jobs would be added to the American economy.
http://citizensclimatelobby.org/remi-report

There is every reason to think that similar advantages would apply to the UK if it put in place a revenue-neutral carbon tax.

This is not within a debate vacuum about carbon tax or pricing:

"The most powerful move that a government can make in the fight against climate change is to put a price on carbon," Vice-President of Sustainability for the World Bank.
And from the Wall Street Journal - October 2014 - “It’s Time to pass a Carbon Tax. It would encourage more private capital investment in low-carbon energy resources. It would provide more policy certainty for financiers, regulated utilities, and energy entrepreneurs.”

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Updates

2015-01-07 20:32:56 +0000

50 signatures reached

2014-11-22 17:27:13 +0000

25 signatures reached

2014-11-19 12:35:07 +0000

10 signatures reached