Audience: Frontline Communities

Adaptation does not necessarily undermine mitigation efforts. Providing people with information about possible adaptation strategies may not undermine support for more systemic mitigation strategies to combat climate change. Instead, informing people about the costs of adaptation may lead to a modest increase in mitigation support.            

State-level climate initiatives have made headlines recently, most notably in Washington state where the latest effort to pass a carbon tax failed to get through the state legislature, although a carbon fee will be on the ballot this November. While some view it as a blue state-specific referendum on progressive climate policies, others suggest that carbon taxes and cap-and-trade policies in states like Washington and Oregon could potentially provide a blueprint for policymakers and grassroots advocates across the country. Today we review recent polling and recap lessons learned for public engagement on carbon tax policies.