Kerry says US examining carbon border tax, sees risks

U_S_ special envoy for climate John Kerry says that Washington is looking into the possibility of introducing a fee on imports from countries that don’t tax heavy polluters, but cautioned that such a move could carry risks “downstream.”

BERLIN -- U.S. special envoy for climate John Kerry said Tuesday that Washington is looking into the possibility of introducing a fee on imports from countries that don't tax heavy polluters, but cautioned that such a move could carry risks “downstream.” Kerry said President Joe Biden had instructed U.S. officials to examine “play it out: what are the consequences, how do you do the pricing, what is the impact.” “But he wants to make sure we’ve thoroughly vetted it and thought about it as a matter of policy, particularly because our friends are doing so,” Kerry said. The European Union has indicated it will put forward plans next month for a carbon border adjustment mechanism aimed at pushing its trading partners into doing more to cut carbon emissions if they want to sell their goods in the world's largest single market.