Fossil fuel subsidy reform, distributive justice and civil unrest

This article explores how fossil fuel subsidy reform – widely regarded as being essential for reducing carbon emissions – may contribute to societal instability by generating grievances related to fuel insecurity and perceptions of unfair costs. The article explores the role that ‘distributive justice’ plays as a moderating factor in the relationship between reductions in fossil fuel subsidies and social unrest, based upon a new dataset combining data on fossil fuel subsidies, incidents of energy-related civil unrest, and measures of the equitable distribution of resources within society, covering the years 2015 to 2022. The article finds that fossil fuel subsidy reform increases social unrest in countries where distributive justice is lacking. Finally, the article explores the policy implications of these findings, suggesting that fuel subsidy reform should be accompanied by progressive social measures which not only protect the most vulnerable but also reflect the principle of ‘fairness’.