If you attended the Global Clean Energy Action Forum in Pittsburgh Sept. 21-23, you heard the praises of the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) being shouted from the rooftops. And the legislation is wonderful. It provides almost $400 billion for a vast variety of tax credits and other “carrots” to energize the transition to a clean energy economy in the United States.

But … it isn’t enough. There are no “sticks” in the legislation to motivate us to make the switch quickly enough to not only get the country to “net-zero” by 2050, but also maybe keep the planet from becoming unlivable in many regions.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby and thousands of economists have been pushing a process called carbon fee and dividend for many years. In a time of high inflation, it might seem strange to advocate for an increasing fee on fossil-fuel emissions, raising the price of carbon-based products like gasoline and natural gas. But this process would return the fees to every American as a monthly dividend to help with the purchase of an electric car, clothes drier or heat pump, all of which would reduce fossil-fuel emissions and qualify for new or improved tax credits provided by the IRA.

The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (EICDA) will provide a carbon fee and dividend process. So, first, vote this November as if the Earth depends on it … because it does. Then, tell the new Congress to pass EICDA.

Bruce Cooper

Cranberry Township

The writer is group leader of the Slippery Rock chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

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