In the previous Congress, the Democrats passed a major investment in the fight against climate change. Now, as the new Congress begins and environmental policymakers consider the path ahead, we should consider ways to incentivize similar climate action from foreign nations to ensure emitters like China do their part.
This challenge poses an opportunity for America. In the U.S., we make goods with far fewer emissions than almost any country in the world. Compared to China and Russia, we are an average of three to four times cleaner! Plus, with the recently passed climate bill, this advantage will grow even larger.
A leading proposal, known as a pollution import fee, would put American producers on an even playing field by assessing a fee on high-emitting foreign imports. This smart idea, championed by Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., would give a leg up to cleaner products — and it’s no coincidence most of them are made here in America. Meanwhile, the fee’s revenue could be used to build climate-resilience infrastructure to protect front-line communities from rising sea levels and increasingly dangerous storms.
Our economy is investing in environmental progress, and it creates better, cleaner products as a result. Now — as American legislators again convene in Washington to determine the path forward — we should establish a pollution import fee to strengthen our economy and reduce harmful emissions worldwide.
Gautam Wadhwa
Hockessin
