From the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Mike Tidwell, Director
Compiled and edited by Ted Glick, National Campaign Coordinator
Feb. 8, 2013
The Chesapeake Climate Action Network supports efforts to advance the policy known as “cap and dividend,” first introduced by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) in December, 2009. Since that time, this bipartisan approach has continued to attract interest and coverage. CCAN continues to produce and distribute this occasional newsletter to keep the clean energy community updated on those developments.
Click here to view past Cap and Dividend Policy Updates.
In This Issue:
#1: Mike Tidwell: Harvard professor has it right: U.S. climate push requires intense grassroots support around ‘cap-and-dividend’ bill
#2: Encino 411: Cap and Dividend is a Better Approach than Cap and Trade or a Carbon Tax
#3: Food and Water Watch: Dividend and Conquer: Cap-and-Dividend and Environmental Betrayal
#4: San Francisco Chronicle: Cap and trade dividend for ratepayers, by David R. Baker
#5: Bangor Daily News: Want the public to heed global warming threats? Cap carbon emissions, pay dividends to everyone
#6: Bloomberg Business Week: It’s Global Warming, Stupid
#1: Mike Tidwell: Harvard professor has it right: U.S. climate push requires intense grassroots support around ‘cap-and-dividend’ bill
“I saw from the church-basement view the rise of Tea Party opposition to Waxman-Markey and the insufficient grassroots organizing response from the major green groups. What efforts were made (Sierra Club stands out as well as the short-lived but respectable field effort of the group 1Sky) fell mostly on deaf ears since average people couldn’t comprehend the complexity of the cap-and-trade bill and could see no immediate and direct benefit in their lives. Theda Skocpol, on the other hand, from my field-based perspective, nails both the key problems and the solutions we need for moving forward. She is absolutely correct to call for a completely different legislative approach for the next big push on climate in Washington. She is correct in arguing that round two should be based on the policy of ‘cap-and-dividend.’”
For the full article go to: http://grist.org/climate-energy/harvard-professor-has-it-right-u-s-climate-push-requires-intense-grassroots-support-around-cap-and-dividend-bill/
#2: Encino 411: Cap and Dividend is a Better Approach Than Cap and Trade or a Carbon Tax
“This month, Theda Skocpol, in a much-discussed article says that neither of those approaches will succeed politically and she criticizes environmentalists for their failure. Instead, she says, Cap & Dividend is the smart way to go (PDF here). Influential climate activist Bill McKibben agrees with her (here). What’s different about Cap & Dividend? All three approaches are designed to raise the price of carbon-based energy. All three will increase our utility bills. But, alone of the three approaches, Skocpol argues, Cap & Dividend actually makes sense to the public.”
For the full article go to: http://www.encino411.com/index.php/blog/entry/cap-dividend-is-a-better-approach-than-cap-trade-or-a-carbon-tax/
#3: Food and Water Watch: Dividend and Conquer: Cap-and-Dividend and Environmental Betrayal
“Although cap-and-dividend avoids the pitfalls of trading credits and offsets, it still relies on a market solution for pollution that upends our commitment to stop pollution and protect our families and our environment. But under the market-based approach adopted by cap-and dividend, I don’t have the option of stopping my neighbor from dumping on my land; I only have the choice of being paid. As with cap-and-trade, cap-and-dividend sets up a pay-to-pollute scheme whereby industry can simply purchase the right to degrade your land, air and waterways.”
For the full article go to: http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/briefs/dividend-and-conquer-cap-and-dividend-and-environmental-betrayal/
#4: San Francisco Chronicle: Cap and trade dividend for ratepayers, by David R. Baker
“Twice each year, all California households will collect a small ‘climate dividend’ from money raised by the state’s new global warming cap-and-trade system, utility regulators decided Thursday. The dividend will be worth an estimated $20 to $40 and will appear as a credit on utility bills, possibly starting in mid-2013.The idea won unanimous approval from the California Public Utilities Commission as part of a broader plan to use some of the revenue from cap and trade.”
For the full article go to: http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Cap-and-trade-dividend-for-ratepayers-4136343.php
#5: Bangor Daily News: Want the public to heed global warming threats? Cap carbon emissions, pay dividends to everyone
“There is a better, more democratic alternative. It’s called cap-and-dividend. This approach to reducing carbon emissions defines environmental improvement as a shared good in which all of us have a stake. It specifies an upper limit on carbon emissions. During the transition to a greener economy, polluting industries pay for permits, and each year the proceeds are divided up and given in equal dividends to every American.
For the full article go to: http://bangordailynews.com/2012/12/11/opinion/want-the-public-to-heed-global-warming-threats-cap-carbon-emissions-pay-dividends-to-everyone/
#6: Bloomberg Business Week: It’s Global Warming, Stupid
“Despite Republican fanaticism about all forms of government intervention in the economy, the idea of pricing carbon must remain a part of the national debate. One politically plausible way to tax carbon emissions is to transfer the revenue to individuals. Alaska, which pays dividends to its citizens from royalties imposed on oil companies, could provide inspiration (just as Romneycare in Massachusetts pointed the way to Obamacare).”
For the full article go to: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-11-01/its-global-warming-stupid#p
CCAN encourages readers of the Cap and Dividend Policy Update to distribute it to others who might be interested. We welcome input on the contents of this publication and ideas for what could be included. Send to Ted Glick at ted@chesapeakeclimate.org.
