MICH "Realizing Climate justice through taxation?"

Mardi intime de la Chaire Hoover par Pierre André

Realizing climate justice through taxation? The ethical cases for carbon dividends

Introducing carbon pricing mechanisms in rich countries seems justified by intergenerational and global climate justice to avoid systematic infringements on basic human rights. However, it may clash with traditional accounts of social justice at the domestic level, since carbon pricing generally puts a heavier burden (relatively to income) on the least advantaged. This difficulty could be overcome by redistributing the revenues from carbon pricing to citizens in the form of a “carbon dividend”. According to different ethical justifications, such a dividend could be unconditional, revenue-sensitive, or consumption-sensitive. And yet, a domestic carbon dividend could be seen as unfair with regards to global justice, compared to cash transfers to poor countries.