[criddell]

There are ways to do it where you can get broad buy-in.

For example, say you added a $X / mile flight tax that collected $50 billion dollars in a year. You then take that money and divide it up evenly among all tax payers. Around 200 million people file taxes each year, so that would be a $250 refund to each filer. For people who never fly, that's free money. For people who fly infrequently, they probably break even. People who fly all the time pay a lot more. You reward non-flyers and penalize frequent flyers.

But you're right. We're all selfish. I want you would stop flying because it's bad for the climate but I'm not going to stop because my personal utility from flying is very high.

[rangestransform]

Rationally yes, but it’s the same deal with the carbon tax where people smell elitism and start seeing red. At least the Canadian version paid out a dividend, and we all know what’s going to happen to that one come next election.