
Carbon is found in every kind of hydrocarbon fuel (including coal, petroleum, and natural gas) and is released as the harmful toxin carbon dioxide (CO 2) when this kind of fuel is burned. CO 2 is the compound primarily responsible for the "greenhouse" effect of trapping heat within the Earth's atmosphere, and is, therefore, one of the primary causes of global warming. A carbon tax directly sets a price on carbon by defining a tax rate on greenhouse gas emissions or more commonly on the carbon content of fossil fuels. There is currently no carbon tax in the United States.Ī tax designed to mitigate or remove the negative externalities of carbon emission, a carbon tax is a type of Pigouvian tax.

The tax is designed to reduce the output of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide, a colorless. A carbon tax would also increase the costs of gasoline and electricity, therefore giving consumers a reason to switch to clean energy. A carbon tax is paid by businesses and industries that produce carbon dioxide through their operations.A carbon tax is seen as reducing emissions by making it more expensive to use carbon-based fuels, therefore giving companies a reason to become more energy-efficient, so as to save money. Featured Research Carbon Taxes and the Future of Green Tax Reform Russias Ukrainian War Could Impact EU Carbon Proposal Too Carbon Taxes in Europe Options.The burning of these fuels produces greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, which heat up the atmosphere and cause global warming. Under a carbon tax, the government sets a price that emitters must pay for each ton of greenhouse gas emissions they emit.


