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Europe and the rest of the world is paying something closer to the true cost of using fossil fuels. Although, with compounding climate change, prices are not keeping up. They are, in effect, subsidizing North America and China's addiction to cheap fossil fuels, which are cheap because externalities are not priced in, and are additionally subsidized by NA governments.

The thing is, taxes here are used as a nudge. Meaning, you have decent public transport (subsidized by said taxes) and as a result people are incentivized to commute with said public transport instead of the government having to build 20+ lanes [1] highways.

[1]: https://www.cntraveler.com/story/the-worlds-widest-highway-s...

Taxes are likewise used a nudge here in the US.

Where allowed by the special interests, and only so far as it supports those special interests.

Or just countries that don't subsidize fuel or cheaply produce it on their own.

Taxes are just one factor in the price.

nothing sad about being incentivized to drive less.

Money well spent.