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This article analyses the redistributive intergenerational effects of recycling a carbon tax and their influence on how governments recycle this tax. We use a model with overlapping generations parameterized on real data. We consider two reform scenarios, depending on whether the carbon tax is recycled through higher public spending or lower direct taxes—the latter providing a “second dividend” for growth. A carbon tax fully recycled through lower taxes weighs on the intertemporal well-being of baby boomers but is more favourable to youth and future cohorts. Noteworthingly, a social planner can recycle a carbon tax by increasing spending rather than reducing taxes if his aversion to intergenerational inequality is high enough. JEL Codes: D58, D63, E62, Q28, Q43.