A revolutionary carbon pricing project appears in the mid-term ballot in the state of Washington



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In November in Washington, climate change is on the agenda. If passed, the 1631 Initiative would create the first carbon dioxide taxes in the United States and could potentially launch a national movement to combat greenhouse gases.

The initiative would require companies to pay for their carbon dioxide emissions, providing Washington with nearly $ 1 billion a year by 2023 to fund government programs related to climate change. And that would be an example of how to set a price on carbon, considered a central element of efforts to slow global warming.

<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "" This is new ground for everyone " , John Larsen, director of the Rhodium group, said TIME. "If Washington manages to put this in place, it will give a different picture of what is possible." "Data-reactid =" 17 ">" It's a new ground for everyone, "said John Larsen, director of the Rhodium Group. TIME. "If Washington manages to put this in place, it will give a different picture of what is possible."

<p class = "web-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "The debate has already set a record for fundraising Nearly US $ 14.8 million, of which Bill Gates's one billion each and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, raised a total of US $ 14.8 million. , including Koch Industries, donated $ 26.2 million, the Washington Post reports. "data-reactid =" 18 "> The debate has already set a record for fundraising for an initiative launched in Washington.The Clean Air Clean Energy coalition to say" yes "to I-1631 has collected Nearly $ 14.8 million, including 1 Bill Gates and the former Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, each in the amount of $ 26.2 million, the major oil companies of the Western States Petroleum Association, including Koch Industries. Washington Post reports.

<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "The 1631 initiative was developed by a coalition environment, working groups, tribal groups and social justice, the Seattle weather reports, and would have a board composed of public officials and members of the public to determine how the money is invested. Carbon royalties are treated as royalties rather than taxes to prevent the state legislature from diverting revenues to other projects. The money generated by the carbon tax could be used to help people buy electric cars, to clear up fire risk forests, to build new solar and wind farms and for programs to help them. climate education. environmental, trade union, tribal and social justice groups, the Seattle weather reports, and would have a board composed of public officials and members of the public to determine how the money is invested. Carbon royalties are treated as royalties rather than taxes to prevent the state legislature from diverting revenues to other projects. The money generated by the carbon tax could be used to help people buy electric cars, to clear fire-exposed forests, to build new solar and wind parks and for climate education programs. .

After starting at $ 15 per tonne of carbon created, the costs would increase by $ 2 per tonne per year until 2035. Environmentalists say it's still too cheap; Oil companies say the fight against climate change at the state level will do nothing, but will drive up gas prices by about 14 cents a gallon.

The California legislature passed a cap-and-trade system in 2013 that sets a price for carbon emissions. But if I-1631 passed Nov. 6, Washington would be the first state to approve carbon pricing through an election. A similar initiative was introduced in 2016 but was not adopted. it was neutral in terms of revenue.

<p class = "web-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "British Columbia has been applying a carbon tax for more decade, at a rate higher than that proposed by I-1631, the Seattle weather said. Price increases for consumers and businesses have not prevented the imposition of the tax, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is considering a similar tax at the national level. "Data-reactid =" 22 "> British Columbia has been applying a carbon tax for more than 10 years at a rate higher than that proposed by I-1631, the Seattle weather said. Price increases for consumers and businesses have not prevented the imposition of the tax, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is considering a similar tax at the national level.

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