Gina-Marie Cheeseman

Fossil fuel subsidies totaled $558 billion worldwide in 2008, according to America.gov. Everyday the equivalent of the Exxon Valdez oil spill occurs in the Gulf of Mexico thanks to BP’s Deepwater Horizon offshore oil well. Perhaps that is the reason President Obama managed to get the G20 to agree to take out the word ‘voluntary’ in the agreement to phase out fossil fuel subsidies. In addition, the G20 leaders agreed to include ongoing reviews in the agreement that would check on how countries are living up to their commitment.