Cross-national analysis of attitudes towards fossil fuel subsidy removal

In 2021, governments in 51 countries provided US$697 billion in fossil fuel subsidies. Removing these subsidies is key for reducing CO₂ emissions, enhancing the effectiveness of carbon pricing and reallocating public funds to more valuable uses. Yet, evidence on public attitudes toward fossil fuel subsidy removal—especially in developing countries—is scarce. Using a comparative survey experiment in five developing countries (Ecuador, Egypt, India, Indonesia and Mexico), we assess attitudes toward carbon taxation and the removal of fossil fuel subsidies for both private and industrial use, and whether specifying uses of freed fiscal revenues affects support. We find that removing subsidies is not more undesirable than introducing a carbon tax, and that support for subsidy removal increases when optimal uses of saved revenues are specified.

Niklas Harring, Erik Jönsson, Simon Matti, Gabriela Mundaca, Sverker C. Jagers