I think you're underestimating just how badly a carbon tax could be implemented. If you don't account for the carbon emissions of e.g. imported goods, or carve out enough exceptions for specific influential special interests, you just end up accomplishing nothing other than regressively taxing the entire population.

The government is going to screw up anything they touch. So yes they'll screw up the carbon tax, but that's also an argument against any other measure they take to address the climate crisis. The carbon tax is more efficient than any other proposed measure, so you have to argue that they'll screw up the carbon tax more than they'll screw up the other stuff.

> you just end up accomplishing nothing other than regressively taxing the entire population.

Pick one. If it accomplishes nothing, it's not an effective tax either.