Show Cap and return The following editorial editorial editorial edi edi- app appeared ared in Sundays Sunday's Washington Washington Washington Wash Wash- Wash Wash- ington Post There are two powerful and opposing economic forces buffeting the American people that could undermine efforts to address global warming oi Oil prices are the lowest they've ce J Ju June ne ie 2007 this 2007 This his good goodnews news at atthe atthe the p pump pump mp ma may spell trouble for the environment if drivers return to the roads and reverse months of stunning red Hp jI g gas s consumption Meanwhile Meanwhile r the looming recession will lessen the political willin will willin willin in Washington to pursue policies that would add costs to doing business or take money out of the thin wallets of consumers Sens Barack D and John McCain R have committed to putt putting a price on carbon-burning carbon fuels such as oil and coal through a trade cap-and-trade system of declining emissions allowances that would be auctioned off to polluters We W agree with Mr ma s s plan plant t auction percent of the allowances to reach the goal of an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2050 But how to accomplish this without exacerbating the recession No problem Return to the American people every penny of the trillions of dollars expected to be generated by these sales This is not a radical notion In Canada British Columbia already does what we are proposing An wide economy-wide carbon carboni r tax was imposed in the province in July The billion in Canadian dollars that it is expected to generate over the next three years will go back to the population in the form of reduced tax rates for all residents corporations and small businesses A climate action credit will willbe willbe willbe be distributed to the poor to help w with th rising energy Costs While the climate change bill passed by bythe bythe bythe the Senate this year and the discussion draft pleased released lea e by Reps Reps Reps-Jo P J Dingell D and D Mich and Rick Boucher D- D D Va this month provide relief for low-income low families the measures split most of the potential proceeds among various funds intended ed to spark innovation and spur development of alternative energy that will one day lessen the dependence on fossil fuels Even in the best of times we would worry that this gets government into the business o of picking winners and succumbing to legions of special pleaders when it should get out of the way and let price trigger the technological efficiencies that business will assuredly develop and invest in to meet or exceed the carbon caps Giving the money directly to the American people has the virtue of being transparent At a time of impending fiscal constraints the temptation to pullback pullback pull pullback back from pressing environmental goals goals' is high But taking on clim climate t change and facing down the recession is not an an either or Earth c i |