I saw the Green New Deal as proposed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and wanted to try my hand at a free market based response. Please note, this is not an exhaustive list of what it will take to save the environment. It will probably take more than this. This is merely a proposal that seeks to cut emissions and preserve personal and economic freedom.
A global carbon tax on carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere set at $15 per ton of CO2 more than 150,000 tons. Carbon that is captured and sequestered will not be taxed. The cap will be reduced by 15,000 per year until it hits zero. Only goes into effect when China, India, and Russia agree to do the same.
-Create a carbon farming tax credit for those who use carbon farming techniques to reduce carbon emissions.
-Create a livestock feed additive tax credit to reduce methane emissions.
-Reduce farm subsidies by 50% starting in 2021 for those who do not carbon farm and use feed additives for cattle that they have.
-Create a tax credit for nuclear and renewable energy at $10 million per 1,000 MW, cost about $1.5 billion a year.
-Increase US spending on nuclear fusion research from $120 million per year to $240 million per year.
-Privatize social security to give the US more financial flexibility to address climate change. Limit US involvement in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, modernize medicare cost sharing, reduce prescription drug costs and allow private plans to compete with medicare. Reduce federal worker retirement benefits especially politician pensions. Impose a 3% excise tax on marijuana in states where it is legal.
-Raise the cap on the electric vehicle tax credit to the first 250,000 cars sold.
-Open electric markets to competition.