The recent international climate conference held in Egypt ended in disappointment, as little was accomplished. But as the daily headlines remind us, more action such as carbon taxation is needed to combat climate change, and it is needed now.

Another writer to this paper recently suggested that carbon tax supporters promote eugenics, and such a tax would radically reduce the human birth rate (Letters to the Editor, Nov. 25). This is nonsense.

Firstly, over two dozen nations already use carbon taxes to help cut emissions, including developing countries like South Africa, and the few experiencing population declines started falling before the new taxes were approved.

Closer to home, the good news is that U.S. federal and Hawaii state legislation proposed in recent years have coupled carbon taxes with dividends to be given to taxpayers to compensate them for higher energy prices.

Fossil fuel consumption would still decline because their relative prices would remain higher than conservation and renewable energy use.

Non-oil-based electric vehicles are becoming an option for more people too as their prices slowly come down and federal tax credits are extended.

In the 2023 session of Hawaii’s Legislature, carbon “cashback” bills will again be proposed to add a carbon fee on oil usage in the state while refunding equal dividends to taxpayers.

Lower income households would get a net financial gain since they spend less on energy.

Please write to your state senators and representatives and ask them to support these crucial bills.

Barry Solomon

Waikapu