From the International Energy Agency.
Try as I might, I can't find Australia listed on any of the charts in this presentation.
Most fossil fuel subsidies are for petrol in countries like Venezuela and Iran. Yes, coal does get some subsidies, but nothing like what motorists are getting in third world crap holes.
From the SMH today - note the caption on the photo. "On the edge...Coal miners protest in Langreo, northern Spain, after the government decided to cut subsidies to the sector. Photo: AFP"
How many unprofitable coal mines are there in Australia that would close tomorrow if the government removed a subsidy? Answer - zero. Remember the miners strike in the UK when Thatcher was in power? That was all about removing subsidies for coal miners. We don't subsidise fossil fuels in this country - we tax the crap out of them. Anyone who thinks otherwise should look at the numbers on the petrol bowser next time they fill up.
2 comments:
BOAB
"Try as I might"
Just Google "Australian fossil fuel subsidies".
It turns up all sorts of interesting stuff -
"Taxpayers spend about 11 times more encouraging the use of fossil fuels than on climate change programs - and the sum is growing.
Fossil fuel incentives and subsidies will cost about $12.2 billion this financial year, compared with $1.1 billion spent on programs designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions and boost clean energy research."
Source: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/billions-spent-on-fossil-fuel-incentives-20110228-1bbsn.html#ixzz1ySXTPS6P
Or if you want peer-reviewed research do the same search on Google Scholar.
This is instructive - http://sydneypeakoil.com/downloads/CR_2003_paper.pdf
I've been paying for this through my tax dollar for over 40 years. I'm jack of it.
"What fossil fuel subsidies?"
Buggered if I know. I think that farmers get some form of a rebate on diesel fuel, that's about the only subsidy that I know of.
Post a Comment