International Grassroots Lobbying

Citizens’ Climate Lobby UK is a member of Citizens’ Climate International (CCI), a worldwide organisation which campaigns for a carbon pricing system known as Climate Income (or Carbon fee and dividend).

We have about 600 groups currently in 78 countries, with a growing number in Africa and Latin America. Citizens Climate Lobby UK was established in 2014 and now has about 1500 members.

The Fastest and Fairest Route to Net Zero

Climate Income places a price on the carbon content of fossil fuels ‘upstream’ – as they are extracted or imported rather than at the point of use as in emissions trading schemes (ETS). The price is progressively raised at a steady rate so that energy suppliers, manufacturers and consumers are not only incentivised to decarbonise but are able to plan with certainty.

The carbon fee is returned to citizens as an equal dividend which mitigates the rising cost of fossil fuels while the economy transitions to progressively more cost effective renewable energy sources. Fossil fuels are priced out of the economy and consumers are protected during the transition.

 A steadily rising carbon tax and dividend is the way forward favoured by over 3,600 US economists, including 28 Nobel laureates. The group has stated that “a carbon tax offers the most cost-effective lever to reduce carbon emissions at the scale and speed that is necessary”, continuing “all revenues should be returned directly to citizens… to maximize fairness and political viability”.  This is the largest public statement of economists in history.

Backed by Data and Practice

The En-Roads Simulator developed by MIT indicates carbon pricing is the most effective way to combat climate change. Recent reports in Nature and by the Autonomy thank tank outline how a global Climate Income policy would be more effective than any other measure at reducing inequality and alleviating poverty. Climate Income has been implemented by British Columbia and Switzerland in 2008, Canada in 2019 and Austria in 2022  (See Policy in Depth for more information).