Fossil fuel subsidies are a ‘disgrace’, Greta Thunberg tells US House panel

Climate activist asked to speak at hearing as part of push by Democrats to include fossil fuel subsidy elimination in bill

Subsidies given to fossil fuel companies are a disgrace" and must be immediately ended, Greta Thunberg, the Swedish climate activist, has told a US congressional committee.

A sweeping $2tn infrastructure plan put forward by Joe Biden has proposed the rolling back of support and tax breaks for oil, gas and coal producers to help lower planet-heating emissions and pay for new investments. Eliminating such subsidies would bring in $35bn to the US government over a decade, according to the Biden administration.