Health Policy Watch: Fueling An Unhealthy Future — Report Sheds New Light On Health Costs of Fossil Fuel Subsidies
“Globally, governments are spending nearly $US 300 billion in price supports and other pre-tax subsidies for fossil fuels — which are costing national governments a whopping $US 2.7 trillion in health costs from air pollution-related mortality, disease and lost productivity — not to mention fueling climate change. The data is part of a new paper released Thursday by the New York-based global health organization Vital Strategies and the Geneva-based NCD Alliance. The brief, Fueling an Unhealthy Future, lines up national expenditures on expenditures for the most health-harmful fossil fuels against the costs to economies and health systems incurred on the other end — in terms of air pollution’s health impacts…” (Fletcher, 9/26).