In 2012, Oil Received Six Times More Government Support Than Renewable Energy
As those of us who are concerned about global climate change turn our attention to the COP-18 meetings in Qatar, we note that the host of these talks is among dozens of countries that keep gas prices artificially low through subsidies that exceeded $500 billion globally last year. According to the article:
Renewable energy worldwide received six times less support — an imbalance that is just starting to earn attention in the divisive negotiations on curbing the carbon emissions blamed for heating the planet.
“We need to stop funding the problem, and start funding the solution,” said Steve Kretzmann, of Oil Change International, an advocacy group for clean energy.
Right on, Steve. It’s really just that simple. As long as the world keeps dumping huge sums of cash into making fossil fuels financially attractive, we’ll keep running 100 miles per hour into a global catastrophe. Thanks for your efforts to shine a light onto this tragedy. Keep up the good work.
Yes, but the last thing we should want to do is beat everyone for not getting in on clean energy immediately. As long as fuel subsidies exist, the shipping on our lifestyle will be low. A “slash and burn” on fuel subsidies, assuming such a thing is possible, will drive most of the world’s industries into shock and institute another depression. The best bet would be a slow tapering off of the fuel subsidies coupled with an increased “roll-out” of fuel efficient alternatives. If I was able to run this, I would have a 5% per year reduction of fuel subsidies coupled with the input of that money first into commercial trucking, then into passenger vehicle subsidies. I would also probably put some funding into a rolling “cash for clunkers” program that concentrated on the purchase of hybrid, electric or 50+ mpg vehicles. Then I would increase the mpg and emissions requirements each year the program is in effect. Eventually these requirements would be such that the only vehicles that were subsidized would be electrics or some fuel cell type vehicle that essentially produced water vapor.