The time to start taxing carbon rather than income and sales is long overdue. A carbon tax could greatly offset other tax rates, reduce energy consumption while addressing climate change, and could be designed to not fall too heavily on the low-income. It is difficult to imagine a road to global ecological sustainability that does not include carbon taxes. Even some in the energy industry agree. See ClimateArk's "Lincoln Plan" for more information.

Duke Energy CEO proposes 'carbon tax'

Duke Energy Corp. will lobby for a tax on carbon dioxide emissions that would reduce fossil fuel consumption and begin dealing with the global warming problem, the company's chairman said Thursday. "Personally, I feel the time has come to act - to take steps as a nation to reduce the carbon intensity of our economy," Paul Anderson told several hundred Charlotte business and civil leaders at a breakfast meeting. "And it's going to take all of us to do it."