The Seattle Times September 28 Editorial “Proceed With Caution, Care, as Carbon Market in State Grows” heralded the news California will extend their own cap and trade system through 2045. That “making Washingtons’ auction market the best hope in reducing planet-warming emissions.” That lawmakers’ goal should be a “policy that successfully reduces carbon emissions and helps mitigate the impacts of climate change”.
Yet there’s very little evidence Washington’s carbon market will do either. A 2022 Energy Information Agency (EIA) detailed the sources for the state’s 74.4 million metric tons (MMT) of CO2 emissions: 42.5 MMT from transportation, 11.5 MMT from industrial use, 9.5 MMT for electric power, 6.2 MMT residential, and 5.0 MMT commercial.
The carbon market will result in drivers paying more for the fuel they burn but nothing for the emissions emitted by burning the fuel. Those using electric power will pay more to warm their homes, cook their food, or charge their EV batteries.
However, those burning natural gas to heat their homes or commercial areas where they work, won’t. Thus, Washington’s carbon market won’t affect more than half the state’s carbon emissions.
Whatever benefits the state’s carbon-market-emission reductions have on climate change is limited by the fact” they make up only 1.56% of the countrie’’s. That the entire country only emits 11.2 % of the planets.
The bottom line is the Seattle Times Editorial Board needs to recognize the state’s carbon market only affects 0.17% of the planet’s emission. That forcing state residents to pay the highest price for the fuel they use and for all those using electric power will do little to mitigate the impact of carbon emissions on climate change”.
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