The Climate Leadership Council, a GOP-backed group supporting a carbon tax that returns the revenue to taxpayers, is out with polling this morning showing wide-spread support for a border carbon adjustment as a component of a national climate plan.
Their survey of 1,500 voters across five “battleground” Senate states found that 70% of voters support a BCA, spanning ideological and party lines, generating majority support among self-described conservatives, moderates and liberals, as well as Republicans, Democrats and Independent voters.
The Council has argued that U.S. manufacturers could be the big winners from a BCA, backed by research showing that industries, including steel, already have an advantage over China, India, and Europe in producing goods and services at lower rates of carbon emissions.
That means if subject to a U.S. carbon import fee, overseas businesses looking to export their goods here would pay a higher price compared to domestic manufacturers with a smaller pollution footprint.
But the Council’s appeals have not convinced Republican lawmakers to back the policy.
GOP Rep. John Curtis of Utah told Josh and Neil on the latest episode of our podcast that he is not “convinced” a BCA “actually works” and is concerned that countries like China with high carbon-intensity products could cheat the system.
Greg Bertelsen, CEO of the Climate Leadership Council, sought to allay those concerns and challenged Republicans to “write the rules” to ensure fairness.
“If leaders want to appeal to Republican voters on climate policy, a border carbon adjustment is by far the best approach we’ve seen,” Bertelsen told Josh.