Don’t Add Carbon Tariffs to the Growing List of Global Trade Tensions

Can nations square their trade priorities with their climate ambitions? As David Hart and Stefan Koester write in RealClearEnergy, adversaries and allies alike bicker over a host of major and minor trade issues, and there are concerns that climate issues will be added to the list.

The trade-related impact of climate proposals is shaping up to be a potential stumbling block going into the global international climate summit set to take place in Glasgow, Scotland, in November. The 26th Conference of Parties (COP), which has already been delayed a year due to the pandemic, is considered the last best chance for major global economies to solidify and strengthen their national climate contributions.

A recent report by the Information Technology and Innovation (ITIF) argues that allies and partners like the United States, the EU, the United Kingdom, and Canada should avoid destabilizing trade frictions that threaten to derail much-needed climate progress and instead work toward a collaborative climate innovation club.