G20 Scorecard of Fossil Fuel Funding

This fact sheet provides a scorecard of government support for fossil fuels in Russia, analyzing funding levels, transparency, and progress in ending subsidies between 2017 and 2019.

• Russia is the second-largest global provider of government support to fossil fuels by absolute value, averaging USD 80.9 billion annually from 2017 to 2019. This support is driven by state-owned enterprise (SOE) capital expenditure, tax breaks for upstream oil and gas, and regulated prices for electricity and gas.
• Tax expenditures for fossil fuels have risen significantly, increasing by 79% compared to 2014–2016 averages. The volume of oil extraction eligible for subsidized tax rates grew from under 30% in 2013 to over 50% in 2019, with projections suggesting it will exceed 90% by 2035. Foregone government revenue from under-taxing oil extraction is estimated to potentially reach USD 32 billion by 2033.
• The breakdown of the USD 80.9 billion annual average support includes USD 41.3 billion in SOE investment, USD 27.5 billion in induced transfers, USD 11 billion in tax expenditure, USD 900 million in public finance, and USD 200 million in direct transfers.
• Russia provides several forms of unquantified or indirect support, including preferential rail tariffs for coal exports and regional support programs for oil and gas developments in the Russian Arctic, such as the state-funded nuclear icebreaker fleet. Additionally, lax environmental regulations act as a subsidy; Greenpeace Russia estimates that annual oil spill damage could be as high as USD 4 billion, despite official sources citing RUB 10 billion (USD 140 million).
• Russia's transparency regarding fossil fuel subsidies is rated as poor. While the government reports tax expenditures in detail, only one government study has quantified and reported on subsidies (from 2014), and the country has not committed to a G20 peer review of its fossil fuel subsidies.

APA

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

Chicago

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

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gerasimchuk |first1=Ivetta |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-russia.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gerasimchuk2020g20, author = {Gerasimchuk, Ivetta}, 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-russia.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }