

The correct answer.
Yes, yes, fossil fuel companies have a lot of political influence and are actively hindering the adoption of clean technology. But also, the world uses a lot of energy, and it takes time to build the capacity in renewables to make headway. More money would make things faster, but there is no real monetary incentive right now.
But you know what is cheaper than building a bunch of new solar? Not building that solar and continuing to use the coal plant that already exists. Hence the need to price CO2eq so that the coal plant is paying out the ass and becomes non-viable.