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Former UK Prime Minister: Oil titans should face global climate tax - Energy Live News - Energy Made Easy

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Former UK Prime Minister: Oil titans should face global climate tax - Energy Live News

Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for a $25 billion (£20.4bn) global windfall tax from the world’s wealthiest oil-producing nations.

Brown argues that countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Norway and Kuwait, which he dubs “petro-states,” raked in unprecedented profits as oil prices soared last year, doubling their oil revenues in 2022.

Citing data from the International Energy Association, Mr Brown revealed that global oil and gas revenues surged from $1.5 trillion (£1.2tn) to an astonishing $4 trillion (£3.2tn).

This income surpasses the entire GDP of the UK.

Brown’s plan seeks to direct these funds toward a climate fund for less affluent nations, potentially averting a potential deadlock in climate negotiations at COP28.

Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: petroleum

State of Play

While electric-powered vehicles may be the ride of the future, oil remains at least for now the dominant fuel for transportation around the world. And after a period of time at the end of the 20th century when oil was subject to wide fluctuations in price, new supplies in North America as a result of non-conventional recovery techniques have helped stabilize prices.

More informationabout ENERGY BASICS: petroleum