Fossil Energy Subsidies: The Bottom Line
Recorded August 29 2023
Description
In this week’s Frankly, Nate reacts to recent analysis by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) critical of 2022 subsidies to fossil fuel. These subsidies - by IMF math totalling $7+ trillion - are not what they seem, resulting in widespread confusion on what is really going on. By peeling back the layers of the onion on these oft-misunderstood benefits - Nate outlines what comprises these fossil fuel subsidies, who receives them, the purpose they serve, and who benefits from them (spoiler alert - we ALL do). How do these subsidies fit into the larger story of the huge energy surplus that fossil fuels have provided? What will it mean for societies when the subsidy that is fossil fuels goes away? Will we be prepared when the externalities - paid for in these subsidies - catch up with us and we need to learn to live with the aftermath of the Carbon Pulse?
Show Notes:
00:00 - Charts used in this Frankly + Additional Charts
01:15 - Anti-establishment
01:54 - Der Spiegel article on Nord Stream Pipeline
03:02 - IEA report on increase in fossil energy subsidies
03:17 - IMF blog update - 14% of GDP is subsidies to fossil companies
04:28 - Implicit vs explicit subsidies
08:45 - Tax credit subsidization
09:21 - Work added to our economy by fossil energy (Section 4.3)
10:45 - 14% of oil and gas reserves are held by public companies
11:28 - Exxon executives suppressing knowledge on Climate Change
12:31 - Fossil Fuel Depletion