## Subsidies

#### Fossil fuel subsidies uphold and enable the fossil fuel industry to carry out large-scale pollution

*   [Roosevelt Institute 19](https://rooseveltinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/GND_policy-brief-fossil-fuel-subsidies.pdf) (additional sources referenced)
    *   The US government spends approximately **$20.5 billion** subsidizing the fossil fuel industry <sup>[1]</sup>
        *   $14.7 billion federal subsidies
        *   $5.8 billion state subsidies
    *   Subsidies:
        *   **prop up** the existing fossil fuel sector
        *   drive up fossil fuel **extraction and use**
        *   develop **domestic fossil fuel assets**
        *   represent an **obstacle to renewable energy** investment by artificially increasing the relative cost of renewable energy <sup>[2]</sup>
    *   If we got rid of fossil fuel subsidies, **almost half of all new US oil production would be unprofitable and thus left undeveloped <sup>[3]</sup>**
        *   Additional sources referenced:
            *   [1]: [Redman 17](http://priceofoil.org/2017/10/03/dirty-energy-dominance-us-subsidies/)
            *   [2]: Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition 17
            *   [3]: [Erickson et al. 17](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-017-0009-8)