Sir, – There is near universal agreement among analysts that carbon taxes are essential if we are to successfully combat climate change.
There are legitimate concerns regarding the effects of carbon taxes on those on low incomes, but these can and must be addressed by, for example, transfers funded by the carbon taxes themselves, subsidies, tax cuts or tax credits. These kinds of mitigation measures would also be advisable from a political perspective. Anarchic populists would be likely to benefit if they were not.
If we decarbonise our economy, which we should, people will, hopefully quickly, begin to escape the tax altogether. – Yours, etc,
ROB SADLIER,
READ SOME MORE
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.