Thanks for that Jon,
The Citizens' Guide looks very useful and informative, as is your email (and indeed all your posts).
There are many challenges in shifting from current global energy and resource consumption patterns to patterns which allow everyone, all species and ecosystems to flourish. Artificially cheap energy from fossil fuels has been central to this. Crossing the climate change and other planetary boundaries will hit Bangladesh and many Majority World places harder than those which have done the majority of the consumption. There are many responses necessary to address this, including changing terms of trade, balance of power, etc. There are many grass roots responses around the world developing these responses, including tree planting, appropriate energy efficiency (solar stoves, etc.). None is a panacea.
Phasing out subsidies to fossil fuels can form a vital part of this process and can be implemented in a range of ways, with sensitivity to what is best in each context. Let's start with western (Minority World) Car Drivers, flyers, etc. if you like?
As I'm sure you know, the fossil fuel lobby is the most powerful in the world, so getting movement on ending these subsidies is a significant challenge, which is why I encourage everyone to sign the petition and at least move the conversation forward globally.
Personally, I also favour the use of TEQs (Tradeable Energy Quotas) as a sensible and appropriate part of our response. What do others think?
Thanks
Larch
-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan Cloke [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 21 June 2012 13:03
To: Larch Maxey; [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: 1 minute action to end fossil fuel subsidies
A typically crass, simplistic piece of rich country gesture politics, if I might say so.....
The situation re fuel subsidies in poor countries of the global south is, of course, far more complex than this PR campaign would suggest. Let me quote you from the Citizens' guide to fuel subsidies in Bangladesh:
"Energy subsidies contribute to raising household incomes, both directly and indirectly. When households pay less for consuming energy, they have more disposable income to spend on other things. In addition, households benefit indirectly from energy subsidies since they can consume many other goods and services at cheaper prices, as subsidies reduce the energy input costs for these products to the producers, distributors, retailers and service providers. Conversely, if energy prices were to increase as a result of reduced subsidies, the direct impact on real income would be multiplied by indirect impacts throughout the economy as the costs of transportation, irrigation and other goods and services go up..."
BUT
"In short, energy subsidies are largely inequitable and represent a significant reallocation of public funds to higher-income earners. However, because the poor spend a high proportion of their income on energy, they are very vulnerable to increases in the cost of kerosene, LPG, petrol and electricity. Taking that fact into account should be a critical part of any reform strategy..."
AND
The population of Bangladesh still relies heavily on traditional fuels, with an overwhelming number of rural households using biomass for cooking. Only the relatively better off households use kerosene and LPG. The over-exploitation of biomass has caused large-scale deforestation and widespread use of crop residues as fuel and fodder. The collection of cow dung has significantly reduced the soil fertility and its organic content matter. Fuel subsidy reform could lead to an increase in biomass consumption......"
AND
"Since poorer groups spend a larger share of their budget on food and other agricultural products, they are likely to lose less, as these prices are less sensitive to fuel price changes. However, the urban poor are likely to be more vulnerable to fuel price hikes." (A Citizens' Guide To Energy Subsidies In Bangladesh (2012) The International Institute for Sustainable Development)"
So, a highly complex picture in which the poor benefit the least from fuel subsidies but nonetheless depend on them because fuel costs constitute a far larger component of their household budget and the ripple effects of removing them in the wider economy would put up the prices of a whole load of other goods that are vital to them. Plus, if you did suddenly remove fuel subsidies everywhere, there would be avast (avaaz, geddit?) increase in the consumption of biomass - bye-bye, rainforest!
But never mind, why should those greedy poor bastards in countries like Nigeria and Libya get cheap fuel in a country where that's about the only benefit they've ever had from from the massive oil reserves in their country? Let them eat dirt!
Lastly, I'll sign this petition (as a life-long cyclist) when every one of the 29,050 people who've signed it so far guarantee to give up their cars - let's point the finger of blame where it really belongs, shall we?
Cheers!
Dr Jon Cloke
LCEDN/MEGS Research Associate
Geography Department
Loughborough University
Loughborough LE11 3TU
Office: 01509 228193
Mob: 07984 81368
________________________________________
From: A forum for critical and radical geographers [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Larch Maxey [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 21 June 2012 12:14
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: 1 minute action to end fossil fuel subsidies
Dear Critters,
Here's the call to end fossil fuel subsidies at Rio+20,
Thanks Larch
Dear friends,
Over a million people have called on world leaders to end fossil fuel subsidies at the Rio Earth Summit -- a no-brainer policy that could take one trillion tax dollars from Big Oil and reinvest it in green energy. But they've failed to deliver -- even with the backing of the EU, the US and most G20 countries! The talks end in 48 hours. Now is our chance to save them and the planet's future.
Brazil's President Dilma is hosting the summit and has the power to reopen discussions and demand a timeline for ending polluter payouts, but she is considering walking away with the weak language presented by a team of bureaucrats. We can stop her in her tracks.
Dilma has 2 days to emerge as a global climate hero. Sign this urgent petition now and forward to everyone -- at 500,000 signers, Avaaz will deliver it straight to Dilma's hands and run an urgent, hard-hitting ad in the Financial Times:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_rio_save_the_planet/?tta
In the last 2 weeks, we've already made huge strides towards an end to fossil fuel subsidies. Together, we've:
*Unfurled giant trillion dollar bills with our friends 350 on beaches in Rio and in Los Cabos that garnered the attention of major media across the globe and delivered a 1 million strong call to end harmful polluter subsidies.
*Delivered a petition with over 750,000 signers directly to UK Prime Minister Cameron and the Mexican chair of the G20 summit.
*Massively impacted the vote in a UN poll -- making fossil fuel subsidies the top priority for the Earth Summit. We won with over 66% of the vote!
*Flooded the Mexican and New Zealand environment ministers with messages calling on them to push for an end to polluter payouts.
* And our team on the ground in Rio and Los Cabos has tirelessly lobbied politicians -- attending dozens of meetings with high level officials from key countries.
The stage is set and Dilma has the perfect solution to turn the talks around: a clear and timely end to fossil fuel subsidies. We only have 48 hours for this final push to action --- click below to sign:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_rio_save_the_planet/?tta
The movement to end fossil fuel subsidies is at a tipping point. Over 1 million of us signed petitions calling for action, from Rio and Delhi to London and Sydney. As we enter the 11th hour of the Rio Earth Summit, let's continue to push until we win!
With hope,
Iain, Antonia, Jamie, Emma, Ricken, Diego, Pedro and the rest of the Avaaz team
MORE INFORMATION:
UN environment haggle runs into problems ahead of summit (France 24):
http://www.france24.com/en/20120618-un-environment-haggle-runs-problems-ahead-summit
Rio+20: anger and dismay at weakened draft agreement (The Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jun/19/rio-20-weakened-draft-agreement
#EndingFossilFuelSubsidies in Pictures, Video & Tweets: Why Rio+20 Needs to Act (Huffington Post) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jake-schmidt/endingfossilfuelsubsidies_b_1607288.html
G20 Fossil Fuel Protest Video (Reuters):
http://in.reuters.com/video/2012/06/19/g20-fossil-fuel-protest?videoId=236062951&videoChannel=117460
Activists hail success of Twitterstorm (The Guardian) http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jun/18/twitter-storm-fossil-fuel-subsidies?newsfeed=true
Update on #EndFossilFuelSubsidies Proposals at Rio+20 (350.org Blog)
http://www.350.org/en/about/blogs/update-endfossilfuelsubsidies-proposals-rio20
Negotiations text "an epic failure" (Greenpeace) http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/press/releases/Greenpeace-comment-on-state-of-Rio20-negotiations-text-for-adoption/
Latest text of the Rio+20 conference
http://avaazpress.s3.amazonaws.com/295The%20Future%20We%20Want%2019%20June%202.45am.doc
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