Designing Climate-Change Legislation that Shields Low-Income Households from Increased Poverty and Hardship

Publication Date: May 2008

Publisher: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (Washington, D.C.)

Author(s): Robert Greenstein; Sharon Parrott; Arloc Sherman

Research Area: Energy; Environment

Keywords: Economic projections; Income diversity; Economic inequality

Type: Report

Abstract:

Efficient, effective policies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions work in part by raising the prices of fossil-fuel energy products to encourage energy efficiency and the substitution of clean energy sources for fossil fuel. This is essential to prevent extensive environmental and economic damage from climate change. However, it will raise costs to consumers for a wide array of products and services, from gasoline and electricity to food, mass transit, and other products or services with significant energy inputs.