THE ENVIRONMENT
Responsible environmental policies are required to balance a successful economy with the need to maintain a healthy environment. Where possible, free market mechanisms like a carbon tax should be utilized to spur responsible stewardship of the environment and incentivize businesses and individuals to embrace and grow clean energy sources.
Man-made pollutants are a contributing factor to global warming, which could lead to long-term and potentially serious environmental damage over the coming decades. If we take action soon, clean energy policies can be phased in over numerous years to allow businesses time to adapt and innovate as they see fit.
One effective way to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption without impeding growth is through market-based initiatives like a carbon tax. These market-based tools are efficient and fair because they spread the cost of environmental protection throughout the entire economy. A small carbon tax would incentivize businesses and individuals to reduce their carbon footprint. In order to keep their costs down, businesses and individuals would seek to become more energy efficient and environmentally responsible.
In order to help negate the monetary impact of a carbon tax, it could be phased in over several years and could be combined with a revenue-neutral reduction in the corporate tax rate for businesses and personal tax rates for individuals. A straightforward carbon tax could also effectively replace reams of burdensome environmental regulations that businesses are currently subject to and which increase business costs and inefficiencies. In addition, a carbon tax proposal could include exemptions or carbon tax reductions for export-dependent businesses to help them remain competitive in world markets. Lastly, a portion of the carbon tax revenue could be utilized to spur innovation and fund research and development of clean energy initiatives.
Although market-based initiatives as described above are the most economically efficient way to improve our environment, there must also be room for targeted regulatory initiatives to address specific problems. Policies that promote more investment in clean energy alternatives will spur new and existing industries to create jobs and make investments that can benefit the overall economy. Government infrastructure initiatives such as improving the country’s electrical grid can also increase energy efficiency, create jobs, and allow businesses to operate more effectively.
A responsible environmental policy should include the following:
Implementation of a carbon tax.
Targeted regulatory initiatives that promote responsible energy usage and clean energy sources such as nuclear, solar and wind energy.
Government support for research and development to create clean energy alternatives.
Infrastructure investments to improve and modernize our national electrical grid.
Reasonable agreements with other nations on reducing carbon emissions if the parameters apply to all U.S. economic competitors so that the U.S. is playing on a level playing field from a business perspective.
Maintain our national / state park system and federal lands and add new parks as necessary to protect environmentally sensitive or notable areas.