Dividend act is good way to fight climate change

I commend Scott Buckley of Naperville for his letter to the Daily Herald editor on Dec. 29 entitled "The Ghost of Climate Future" in which he encourages readers to ask their congressmen to support the bipartisan bill, the Energy Innovation and Dividend Act, HR 763.

To further encourage readers, they should be aware of a report on this bill recently released by Dr. Noah Kaufman and his team of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. This milestone report also concludes that by cutting emissions 36-38% by 2030, the health of Americans would be improved because of reduction of sulfur and mercury emissions by 95% and smog-forming NOx emissions by 75%.

Under this bill, CGEP says, electric power generation would rapidly shift to low- and zero-carbon sources including solar, wind, nuclear, and natural gas with carbon capture and storage. They also confirm that the carbon dividend would cushion energy price impacts for consumers.

The main message from the CGEP report is that a price on carbon is a uniquely cost-effective policy tool because it incentivizes emissions reductions wherever and however they can be achieved, and does so at the lowest cost. That's why economists overwhelmingly support a price on carbon as the most powerful first step to addressing climate change.

I am certain that others are as overwhelmed and depressed as I am by the daily bombardment of news about the effects of climate change all over the world, as well as here in the U.S. and Illinois. The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act is a very effective means for us all to take action and work toward a more promising future for us all. Let's do it.

Linda Sonner

Batavia