Emily Adams » StraightGoods.ca

Emily Adams

Emily Adams received a Master of Environmental Management degree in 2010 from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment with a focus on the intersection of science and policy. Emily is glad to return to the city of her undergraduate institution, American University, where she studied environmental science and graduated magna cum laude. Prior to joining Earth Policy Institute, she spent a year living in Geneva, Switzerland learning French, hiking, and working at the World Meteorological Organization. At EPI, Emily contributes to the research, writing, and editing of releases and follows global environmental trends.

Globally, governments gave Big Oil $620 billion in 2011.

by Emily E Adams

The energy game is rigged in favor of fossil fuels — because we omit the environmental and health costs of burning coal, oil, and natural gas from their prices. Subsidies manipulate the game even further.

According to conservative estimates from the Global Subsidies Initiative and the International Energy Agency (IEA), governments around the world spent more than $620 billion to subsidize fossil fuel energy in 2011: some $100 billion for production and $523 billion for consumption. This was 20 percent higher than in 2010, largely because of higher world oil prices.