If carbon tax is dead, what's the alternative? Is there one? I certainly can't think of one.

Ultimately the problem is that people aren't going to vote for things that make their life worse. And reducing fossil fuel usage currently makes your life worse. So it's unpopular.

I think sadly the answer is that we won't do anything meaningful about climate change until it's really, really bad - and then the mild life-worsening of a carbon tax will feel minor compared to the alternatives. Sadly it might be too late by then.