A letter to Prime Minister Johnson is here.
The UK will host the next Conference of Parties (COP) in Glasgow,
hopefully this November. Young people are fed up – rightfully so.
Boris Johnson has a choice. He and the COP can offer soothing
ambitions, while continuing business-almost-as usual – in which case
global emissions will rebound after Covid and remain high or even grow –
and he will be vilified in the streets of Glasgow, London and around
the world.
Or he can use his emergent humanity to help turn the world onto a
different path, one dictated by science. The UK, where the industrial
revolution and coal burning began, could now provide the blueprint by
which other nations may proceed. The science shows that fossil fuel use
will be phased out rapidly via a rising carbon fee with all funds
distributed uniformly to the public. The effect is anti-regressive, as
most wealthy people have a large carbon footprint. Seventy percent of
the people come out ahead. Fee & dividend is a base that aids all
other carbon policies.
The UK (like the US) is 5X more responsible for global warming than the
average nation. With strong leadership from the PM, the UK
parliamentary system is capable of adopting this year such a
science-based system. Just as the industrial revolution moved from the
UK to the US, so too could a proper way to put a price on carbon. The
PM has the opportunity to earn a special place in history and the
gratitude of young people. Let’s see if he can grasp it.
Note: with a sufficient, rising price on carbon, steel production need not be done with coal.
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