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Nader: Obama Should Pitch a Worldwide Carbon Tax

Because China won't agree to a cap-and-trade

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 3, 2008 12:26 PM CST
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(Newser) – The cap-and-trade system Barack Obama favors to deal with climate change won’t work, Ralph Nader and Toby Heaps write in the Wall Street Journal, and it’ll lead to “trade anarchy.” Any unilateral action we take must be global; otherwise, companies will simply relocate, taking jobs and emissions with them. China and other developing nations will never accept a cap-and-trade system, but they might be OK with a global carbon tax.

The tax would be more appealing to developing nations, because they could pay as they go, without fear of growing too fast and hitting a hard cap. “Key people in China read our newspapers,” and know that if they do nothing, we’ll implement protectionist measures against their imports. Yes, the tax would initially hurt consumers, but it “would pave the way for cheaper, cleaner energy.”

Smokestacks are seen at the Chevron refinery, Monday, April 21, 2008, in Richmond, Calif.
Smokestacks are seen at the Chevron refinery, Monday, April 21, 2008, in Richmond, Calif.   (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Environmental activists painted Stop CO2 on the side of the chimney of the coal-fired power plant in Belchatow, Poland, Tuesday, July 3, 2007.
Environmental activists painted "Stop CO2" on the side of the chimney of the coal-fired power plant in Belchatow, Poland, Tuesday, July 3, 2007.   (AP Photo)
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If President Obama hits the ground running fast in the direction of a global carbon tax, he can usher in a new dawn that might finally make peace between man and climate. - Ralph Nader and Toby Heaps

Showing compliance with a harmonized carbon tax at a small number of large bottleneck points would be child's play compared to the chaos of cap-and-trade. - Ralph Nader and Toby Heaps

Because of the sheer scale of the challenge and the state of the hyperglobalized economy, we will need the same price on carbon everywhere, or it won't work anywhere. - Ralph Nader and Toby Heaps

Key people in China read our newspapers. They see the ominous clouds of protectionism under the guise of environmentalism. - Ralph Nader and Toby Heaps

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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
Shannonals
Dec 5, 2008 3:40 AM CST
Sounds like Ralph Nader has a case of sour grapes
Guest
Dec 4, 2008 6:46 AM CST
Ralph has many followers. Oh,he doesn't? Nevermind.

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China • climate change • cap and trade • Ralph Nader • carbon taxes • President Obama

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