Officials look at a carbon dividend, but the cash is getting squeezed

Officials are looking at a carbon dividend in principle, but much of climate change minister James Shaw's climate fund has already been allocated. (Image: BusinessDesk)

Ian Llewellyn and Oliver Lewis

Tue, 23 May 2023

Officials are investigating the possibility of a carbon dividend, where revenue from the emissions trading scheme or a carbon tax gets recycled back to households.Proponents of the policy, which has been adopted in parts of Canada, argue that it helps make a higher carbon price more politically viable, as households are supported through the transition to a low-emissions economy.From a peak of more than $85, the price of a tonne of carbon, measured in tradeable New Zealand Units (NZUs), has collapsed to just over $50 on the secondary market aft...

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