Global warming is real and…

Global warming is real and will have devastating impact upon our children and grandchildren if we don’t begin reducing our total greenhouse gas emissions.

Estimates from well-respected climate science sources inform us that we have no more than two years to reverse the rate of greenhouse gas emissions globally to have a reasonable chance of avoiding the worst consequences of global warming.

Considering the fate of cap and trade only through the lens of taxation misses its primary purpose. Cap and trade is a reasonable, market-oriented policy instrument designed to steer economies away from greenhouse gas emitting products and services by including in their price an estimate of the true societal cost of greenhouse gasses.

The proposed elimination of the cap and trade regime without a viable, in-tandem replacement greenhouse gas strategy risks delay and even a reversal of greenhouse gas emission reduction progress.

Any near-term cost savings anticipated from dismantling of cap and trade without an immediate replacement will be short-lived and eventually overwhelmed by staggering costs incurred due to global warming consequences.

Therefore, I strongly oppose Bill 4 and any other attempt to eliminate cap and trade without the government first demonstrating that it has a viable alternative to reduce greenhouse gases within the time frame needed to avoid the worst effects of global warming.