The Republican Party’s platform for 2016 includes a provision opposing any taxes on carbon dioxide emissions, like those proposed by Democratic lawmakers concerned about man-made global warming.
“We oppose any carbon-tax,” reads a copy of the platform draft obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation. “It would increase energy prices across the board, hitting hardest at the families who are already struggling to pay their bill in the Democrats’ no-growth economy.”
The GOP’s platform, including the carbon tax provision, was approved last week with no amendments. GOP delegates formally adopted the platform Monday.
The anti-carbon tax provision reaffirms Republican opposition to energy taxes as a way to fight global warming. The Republican National Committee adopted a resolution opposing a carbon tax in January.
House lawmakers passed a resolution introduced by Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, the majority whip, in June that opposed a carbon tax.
The GOP platform stands in stark contrast to the Democratic draft platform, which calls for more regulations and laws to fight global warming. The draft Democratic platform even calls for circumventing Congress to impose climate policies.
“Democrats believe that carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases should be priced to reflect their negative externalities, and to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy and help meet our climate goals,” the draft platform reads, according to statements released by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign.
“Democrats believe that climate change is too important to wait for climate deniers and defeatists in Congress to start listening to science, and support using every tool available to reduce emissions now,” reads the platform.
Republicans have been increasingly concerned about attempts to get a carbon tax through Congress in recent years. GOP lawmakers often argue taxing CO2 would amount to an energy tax that would raise the price of everything, hurting the poor.
Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse introduced a carbon tax bill last year, which he said would raise $2 trillion over 10 years and reduce emissions 40 percent. Whitehouse has also called on the Department of Justice to prosecute those who disagree with him on global warming.
The GOP, instead, has endorsed private sector-led solutions to reducing CO2 emissions, like new emissions-capturing technology.
“We urge the private sector to focus its resources on the development of the carbon capture and sequestration technology still in its early stages here and overseas,” the draft GOP platform reads.
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