G20 Scorecard of Fossil Fuel Funding

This fact sheet by the International Institute for Sustainable Development evaluates Germany's fossil fuel funding, ranking it first among G20 OECD member countries with an overall score of 71/100. The document details government support across various fossil fuel sectors, highlights progress in reducing coal subsidies, and identifies remaining areas of high support, particularly in transport and industry.

• Germany is ranked first among G20 OECD member countries due to its transparency, strong commitments, and relatively low levels of support for fossil fuel consumption, fossil fuel-based power, and oil and gas production. Total government support for fossil fuels averaged USD 5.9 billion between 2017 and 2019, consisting of USD 2 billion in direct transfers, USD 3.1 billion in tax expenditure, and USD 827 million in public finance.
• Overall government support for fossil fuels decreased by 35% compared to the 2014–2016 average, primarily driven by reductions in support for fossil fuel-based power and coal production. Specifically, public finance for fossil fuels fell by 75% relative to the 2014–2016 average. Germany ended subsidies and hard coal mining in 2018 and intends to phase out coal-fired power and lignite mining by 2038.
• The most significant remaining area of support is fossil fuel consumption for transport and industry, which averages USD 2.6 billion annually. This is largely attributed to tax exemptions for shipping and aviation, as well as tax relief for diesel fuel in the transport sector.
• The document identifies several gaps in quantified data and recent financial interventions. Investments from municipal-level utilities running coal-fired power plants are not quantified. Additionally, the German government provided a USD 9.9 billion state-guaranteed bailout to Lufthansa in exchange for a 20% share in the company.

APA

Picciariello, A. (2020). G20 Scorecard of Fossil Fuel Funding. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-11/g20-scorecard-germany.pdf

Chicago

Picciariello, Angela. G20 Scorecard of Fossil Fuel Funding. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2020. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-11/g20-scorecard-germany.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Picciariello |first1=Angela |title=G20 Scorecard of Fossil Fuel Funding |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2020 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-11/g20-scorecard-germany.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{picciariello2020g20, author = {Picciariello, Angela}, title = {{G20 Scorecard of Fossil Fuel Funding}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2020}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-11/g20-scorecard-germany.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }