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September 10, 2019
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Five EU countries including the UK, Germany, Greece, Poland, and Slovenia are looking to introduce new fossil fuel subsidies by 2030, an analysis of the 28 Member States’ draft energy and climate plans (NECPs) has revealed.
In a new report, “Fossil fuel subsidies in draft EU National Energy and Climate Plans: Shortcomings and final call for action,” experts from the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), Friends of the Earth (FoE) Netherlands, and Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe have analyzed the EU Member States’ draft NECPs, which require governments to report on their fossil fuel subsidies and plans to phase them out, the CAN has said in a press release.
None of the EU Member States comprehensively report on their fossil fuel subsidies nor provide plans to phase them out
Despite long-standing commitments to ending fossil fuel subsidies, none of the EU Member States comprehensively report on their fossil fuel subsidies nor provide plans to phase them out.
The UK, Germany, Greece, Poland, and Slovenia even plan to introduce new fossil fuel subsidies, at a time of heightened awareness of the climate crisis and despite committing ten years ago to end such support, the CAN said.
Greece mentions that it will introduce a subsidy aimed at replacing diesel boilers with fossil gas-fired ones
For instance, Greece mentions that it will introduce a subsidy aimed at replacing diesel boilers with fossil gas-fired ones, and Poland intends to provide subsidies for underground gas storage and the use of liquified natural gas (LNG) for transport.
The authors of the report found that several of the NECPs made no mention of fossil fuel subsidies at all, despite previous research showing all EU governments are continuing to provide support to oil, gas or coal.
UK provides EUR 12 billion each year through tax breaks and budgetary transfers alone, more than any other EU state
The report finds that six Member States – Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Hungary, the Netherlands and the UK – claim no such subsidies exist in the country.
This is despite the European Commission previously finding all EU countries continue to provide some support to fossil fuels, with the UK providing EUR 12 billion each year through tax breaks and budgetary transfers alone, more than any other EU state, the CAN said.
“As part of the G20, EU governments committed to ending fossil fuel subsidies back in 2009. Ten years later, as the world is in the midst of a climate crisis, EU governments continue to provide huge sums of taxpayers’ money to fossil fuels, the single biggest cause of climate change,” lead author Laurie van der Burg, climate and energy researcher at FoE Netherlands, said.
Only horse & cart permitted,
Rubbing sticks together to light a fire to keep warm in the UK
Synthetic materials banned, only animal skins worn to keep warm.
Bricks and mortar no longer permitted as building materials.
Plastics to become dis-invented.
Transport beyond a few hundred yards of home prohibited.
Air travel to become extinct.
Steel no longer manufactured, as it requires too much heat and warms the planet.
Hey folks, stop breathing as it produces CO2, and instead: APOLOGISE FOR LIVING !!
From the article:
…providing EUR 12 billion each year through tax breaks…
Tax breaks are not the same as subsidies!
The greening trace gas CO2 has yet to be proven to have any measurable influence on global temperatures. It can be seen only by Greta Thunberg, who like everybody else exhale about 4% CO2 (a hundred times more than in the air she inhale.
Phasing out fossil fuels, would also phase out steel and plastic, so anyone with a bit of thoughtfulness would know that this would be the abrupt end of current level of civilization and welfare.
We have gone from terrible conditions in the large cities 200 years ago, to enormous improvement in pollution reduction and quality of life ever since, mainly due to fossil fuels.
Please do not reverse this wonderful trend by banning or hindering fossil fuels and the industrial revolution, just to serve the climate industry billionaires. Current levels of CO2 is 0.04% and the optimal level for the planet is about 0.15%