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octoberlib

(14,971 posts)
Sun Apr 7, 2013, 03:15 PM Apr 2013

Subsidies Play “Significant Role” in Climate Change, IMF Says


By Carey L. Biron, Inter Press Service | Report


Washington - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is urging national governments around the world to roll back or eliminate subsidies on petroleum-based energy sources, estimating that this alone could result in a 13-percent decline in global carbon dioxide emissions.

The implication is that these countries should be charging consumers far higher for coal, gasoline and other petroleum products, both in order to offset their negative impacts and to give consumers a clearer understanding of the full consequence of their use. Following on previously stated policy, the IMF is also reiterating its support for some sort of carbon tax.
“By boosting energy consumption and thus emissions, subsidies aggravate climate change and worsen local pollution and congestion,” David Lipton, the IMF’s first deputy managing director, said in a major speech here on Wednesday.

For instance, over decades these subsidies have been found to crowd out investment in energy production, including in renewables. Simultaneously, they constrict state coffers such that governments have less money with which to fund public spending, for instance on education, health or infrastructure.In countries across sub-Saharan Africa, governments are spending an average of three percent of GDP on energy subsidies – the same as on public health – so reducing these subsidies would free up space for more productive spending that is much needed,” Roger Nord, a senior advisor in the IMF’s African Department, told reporters Wednesday.


http://truth-out.org/news/item/15580-subsidies-play-significant-role-in-climate-change-imf-says
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Subsidies Play “Significant Role” in Climate Change, IMF Says (Original Post) octoberlib Apr 2013 OP
This is actually a Big Fucking Deal pscot Apr 2013 #1
A bit hypocritical to ask the developing world to pay more for energy wtmusic Apr 2013 #2
Yes it would. Great idea for the US though. Of course , I can't see it happening. octoberlib Apr 2013 #3
untrue (or at least misleading) quadrature Apr 2013 #4
The OP is on an outstanding study. kristopher Apr 2013 #5

wtmusic

(39,166 posts)
2. A bit hypocritical to ask the developing world to pay more for energy
Sun Apr 7, 2013, 10:01 PM
Apr 2013

when the U.S. consumes 5x its share per capita.

Case in point: the Oyu Tolgoi copper mine in Mongolia will be the largest publicly-funded project in Mongolian history and provide substantial benefits for hundreds of thousands of Mongolians. Not SUVs, but things like healthcare, running water and electricity - for people who live amid rocks in the Gobi desert.

They want to build a small coal plant with help from the OMF, but when Greenpeace got word of it they took to the streets. After the protest, they likely went home and took a nice hot shower.

octoberlib

(14,971 posts)
3. Yes it would. Great idea for the US though. Of course , I can't see it happening.
Sun Apr 7, 2013, 10:45 PM
Apr 2013

Groups like Greenpeace aren't very pragmatic . It's all or nothing. I hope someone asked Greenpeace what their plan was for providing running water and electricity to these people.

 

quadrature

(2,049 posts)
4. untrue (or at least misleading)
Sun Apr 7, 2013, 11:53 PM
Apr 2013

if the US subsidizes fuel,
it is other countries, not the US.

US gives money to the 'hood in Egypt.

price of diesel in Egypt is 1.25 Egyptian pounds.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/13/us-egypt-diesel-idUSBRE91C0RO20130213


Egyptian pound is 6.839 to the US dollar
http://fx-rate.net/EGP/

1 gallon = 3.78 liter

70 cents a gallon

kristopher

(29,798 posts)
5. The OP is on an outstanding study.
Mon Apr 8, 2013, 06:05 AM
Apr 2013

Your post needs clarification. It doesn't seem to apply to the OP or any of the other posts in the thread.

If you are saying that the US doesn't subsidize fuel and you're using Egypt to illustrate that point, then you clearly didn't read the article or the paper. The study is a look at fossil fuel subsidies in the global energy market and how those subsidies impede investment in lower cost alternatives.

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