NY energy experts, advocates say Iran war shows need for Hochul to implement climate law
Gov. Hochul’s reliance on fossil fuels may end up costing more than renewables, clean energy advocates say.
External Publications by Noah Kaufman • December 19, 2018
Avoiding the most dangerous risks of climate change requires increased policy ambition around the world, including strong federal-level action in the United States. Economists have long pointed to a carbon tax as an important part of any cost-effective portfolio of climate policies. A carbon tax would reduce emissions by raising the costs of carbon-intensive products, thus causing producers and consumers to factor the costs of climate change into their market decisions. The purpose of this commentary is to describe the major design decisions associated with a federal carbon tax, particularly carbon tax rates, revenue use, and regulatory changes. The authors analyze their implications on US energy markets, emissions, and the economy. They focus on two carbon tax scenarios that resemble federal legislation proposed in 2018, one by Democratic members of Congress led by Sheldon Whitehouse and one by Republican Congressmen led by Carlos Curbelo.
On March 20, Governor Kathy Hochul proposed significant changes to New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), the landmark climate law passed in 2019.
In January 2026, the UK government publicly released an intelligence report analyzing the security implications of global environmental destruction.
Models can predict catastrophic or modest damages from climate change, but not which of these futures is coming.
Full report
External Publications by Noah Kaufman • December 19, 2018