John Oliver talks carbon taxes and climate change on Last Week Tonight

Our species is facing a major crisis as climate change gets worse. Could carbon taxing be a solution? John Oliver looks into it on Last Week Tonight

Let’s talk about the planet. Specifically, we need to discuss some of the environmental challenges currently barreling down the track towards us. Yes, we’re talking climate change.

No, the veracity of climate change isn’t up for debate. And, no, the solution isn’t a bunch of silly recycling ideas. Let’s be real, a basket made out of a garden hose and zip ties isn’t going to save the planet.

We are swimming in terrifying reports on climate change. As a species, we are facing catastrophes like famines, coral reef die-offs, rampant wildfires, and more, all by 2040. This is a pivotal moment in the history of both humans and the planet. We have identified the problem, but are we collectively willing to take the steps needed to mitigate its effects? That’s the question posed by host John Oliver on the latest episode of Last Week Tonight.

All of these existential threats must be why we’re hearing so much about the “Green New Deal”. It was booed at a Trump rally just this week, which must mean it’s probably a good deal.

Congress has also voted it down this week. It is a little weird that we’re talking so much about legislation, though all of the polarization along party lines makes for lots of cable news anchor complaining. Apparently, the Green New Deal is coming for your hamburger, which one pundit said was Stalin’s dream (reader, it was not).

The Green New Deal

First of all, what is the Green New Deal? Before anything else, we have to say that the 14-page document does not mention cow farts or airplane emissions, no matter how much Sean Hannity wants you to believe so. You shouldn’t be getting your legislative summaries from Fox News, anyway.

In reality, the Green New Deal is a non binding resolution that sets out big goals like zero carbon emissions, completely clean and renewable energy, and the creation of millions of new jobs for Americans.

All of this is meant to kickstart action by setting out targets. “Our first step is to define the problem,” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of the major backers of the bill.

Baby steps, dragged out of reluctant, screaming conservatives inch by inch, isn’t going to save the coral reefs. Neither will it keep someone’s home from burning down in a wildfire, or people from dying of hunger and thirst.

Don’t undermine all of this by making jokes about farting cows. At any rate, cows don’t fart as much as you may think. They just burp. A lot.

Why did the Green New Deal sputter?

Part of the issue with the Green New Deal were some “self-inflicted wounds,” according to Oliver. AOC’s office did mention farting cows and airplanes in a memo. Though this was meant as a joke, it was enough for political pundits to take it in bad faith and generate alarmist reports about how AOC wants to take our airplane miles away.

AOC has said that she screwed up the rollout of the Green New Deal, it has at least started a conversation, one that’s still ongoing despite the fizzled legislation. There’s much to discuss, too. We could actually help the planet by improving city planning, eating lab-grown meat, developing better mass transit options, improving fuel usage, and so on. Honestly, we don’t have time to cover all of the different ways we could turn a potential catastrophe into something liveable.

With all of the above options, there is one challenge that looms especially large: carbon emissions. Carbon is the biggest factor at play here, generating ballooning levels of greenhouse gases and contributing to climate change. Now, we’ve all generally agreed that this is bad, but no one faces any consequences for releasing mass amounts of carbon into the air. That’s where carbon pricing comes in.

Carbon pricing

At this point in the episode, Bill Nye steps in to explain the logic behind carbon pricing. “When something costs more, people buy less of it.” Good thing he put on the safety glasses for this groundbreaking explanation.

Basically, if we tax carbon, then people will be less likely to use more of it. That will also hopefully incentivize alternative forms of energy. Economists are nearly all in favor of carbon pricing. U.K. has seen great success with this factor, which has lowered its carbon emissions to 1890 levels.

How are we supposed to go about enacting carbon pricing? First, you might consider “cap and trade”. That’s where you cap the amount of emissions that a given company can produce. Companies can then trade carbon caps amongst themselves.

The other option is to simply introduce a “carbon tax”. Well, except for that dirty word, “tax”. That word is enough to make people of all political persuasions lose their damn minds. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau slipped up and said “tax” in front of Parliament, which generated plenty of controversy.

How can you do a carbon tax without harming the people who can’t afford it? Canada is sending revenues back to taxpayers as rebates. Their proposed system will benefit the lowest-income households the most.

Selling the carbon tax

Even with all of that, carbon taxing is still a big battle in Canada. And if Canada can’t quite get it together, how is there any hope for the United States to do anything?

On the surface, things don’t look favorable for a carbon tax in the U.S. Joe Manchin, the senior Senator from West Virginia, issued a political ad where he fires a rifle at a “cap and trade” bill.

Sure, that looks bad, but don’t despair yet. Conservative Republicans are admitting that they are worried about global warning, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. And we are still talking about the Green New Deal, even with an awkward debut.

Yet, talk only goes so far. We need action, and now. And it’s going to be a constellation of different tactics, not a single, magical bill that will save us all.

Bill Nye rounds it out with a fun science demonstration. He sets a globe on fire and explains that the solutions aren’t free. They never are, and Nye is frankly done coddling us, like when we were 12 and he was explaining the water cycle. “You’re adults now, and this is an actual crisis. Got it? Safety glasses off, motherf-ers.”