Best response to an emergency: All together

We hear a lot about political polarization and the lack of bipartisanship these days. Bipartisanship can sound like a quaint idea from some simpler time before social media and cable news became popular sources of information. In fact, a two-party political system is expected to be inherently contentious. Yet our form of government is based on the idea that minority opinions should still have the ability to influence policy. We do this to make sure the majority side does not trample the rights of those in the minority and for the added benefit of achieving wide-scale, lasting support.

With President Biden's recent visit to former Sen. Bob Dole before the start of Dole's lung cancer treatment, we can recall an example of a bipartisan policy that we now take for granted. Bob Dole advocated for the disabled for decades and his support was instrumental in the adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA capped a lengthy and heated debate, with proponents arguing that disabled Americans constituted a class of citizens whose civil rights were being violated, while opponents argued that the act would place an undue burden on employers and institutions. Finally, the ADA achieved a spectacular Senate vote of 76 to 8, followed by consideration in an unprecedented four committees in the House. Ultimately it was passed and signed into law by George H.W. Bush in 1990.

Addressing climate change needs a similar bipartisan approach, not because of a nostalgic return to an old-fashioned practice, but because of the scope of the change needed, the magnitude of the impact to our energy and transportation systems and the importance of maintaining a consistent direction over a long period of time.

The issue requires consideration of a number of factors from the perspective of both the public and decision-makers: the role of government, the sources of funding, the liability for investment risk, the use of revenues (if generated), the extent and type of regulation, the impacts on different communities and so on. There is a growing conviction that a climate policy based on establishing a price on carbon has the best chance of gaining bipartisan support.

Achieving widespread agreement on how to price carbon is crucial to transforming a huge swath of our economy in a way that works for all of us. The Texas Grid crisis shows us what can happen when an overly partisan approach is adopted.

Carbon pricing is based on the principle of putting a charge on the greenhouse gas emissions that are the main cause of global climate change. A fairly designed carbon pricing policy can fix today's market failure that allows polluters to pollute for free. If implemented with a reasonable initial price combined with a steady pricing increase, it sends a strong signal to those responsible for designing and investing in tomorrow's energy and transportation systems, while avoiding near-term disruption to our economy.

In addition, a fairly designed policy can ensure that economically vulnerable communities are protected against rising energy and transportation costs.

The role of government to establish fees and taxes is well established, so a pricing-based policy has the advantage of speed and simplicity. Other regulatory approaches are more likely to be delayed by litigation and watered down through loopholes championed by lobbyists. Carbon pricing doesn't distort energy and transportation markets by choosing which products should win and lose; it simply ensures that carbon pollution becomes increasingly less competitive. Combined with grid improvements and energy storage investments, a transition to renewables can avoid the mistakes of Texas.

A carbon tax is better for business as well. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently announced its support for a "market-based approach to accelerate emissions reductions," giving businesses the ultimate say on how they shift to clean energy. It is far more predictable and durable than regulations, which can change with the stroke of a new president's pen.

A comprehensive, bipartisan policy based on fairly designed carbon pricing principles provides the opportunity to drive rapid and effective decarbonization with enduring public support through the election cycles of the future.

• Mike Zanillo, of Kildeer, is Community Outreach Coordinator for the Citizens Climate Lobby. Eleanor Revelle, of Evanston, is a member of the Climate Change Task Force for the League of Women Voters U.S. This op-ed is part of a series of columns the Daily Herald will publish this week in conjunction with Covering Climate Now, https://coveringclimatenow.org/, a collaboration of news media organizations from around the world intended to focus attention on climate change