According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, current atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are at unprecedented levels in at least the last 800,000 years. These concentrations are associated with unequivocal warming of the climate system, with many adverse changes intensifying over the past decades. Continued emission of greenhouse gases will cause further warming and long-lasting changes in our climate, increasing the likelihood of severe and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems. Thus, urgent action is needed across the United States to shift energy production and consumption away from fossil fuels to more environmentally sensitive solutions.
Citizen's Climate Lobby, a non-profit, nonpartisan, advocacy organization, is requesting support from communities nationwide to foster passage of congressional legislation to establish a National Carbon Fee and Dividend Program. The objective is to accelerate the transition to clean energy sources to help curb the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions on our climate.
The National Carbon Fee and Dividend Program proposal includes the following elements:
- A federal carbon fee on greenhouse gas generators at the source and on imports from countries without carbon pricing
- Dividends from the carbon fee distributed to US households to offset the increased cost of goods and energy.
This proposal would accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels by making cleaner energy options less costly than fossil fuels. A study by Regional Economic Models, Inc. indicates that the program would also benefit the economy and create 2 million jobs over 10 years.
The State of California and neighboring cities of Pacific Grove, Monterey, and Marina have adopted resolutions in support of the Carbon Fee and Dividend Program.