Duke Energy Corp has broken ranks with the bulk of the US energy industry with plans to lobby for a tax on carbon dioxide, calling it a “corporate responsibility.” According to chairman Paul Anderson, the tax “must be mandatory, economy-wide and federal in scope,” proposals which make Duke the first major US utility to push for a carbon dioxide tax.
Pushing for the widest possible basis of taxation will mean that the power industry is not the only industry targeted by including transport and manufacturing plants, says Anderson.
Power plants produce about 40% of US carbon dioxide emissions, while transportation produces another 30%, and the remainder comes from sources such as manufacturing and domestic heating.
Acknowledging that the passage of a carbon tax would be difficult, Anderson said, “Even if science proves that climate change isn’t a major problem, a carbon tax is a ‘no regrets’ policy that still results in less CO2 emissions and greater energy conservation.”
