But the potential clash between fossil fuels and clean tech was still stark in the development bank investments. As the COP21 summit looms , all sort of interesting data points are emerging : today , Quartz revealed that China , Russia , Saudi Arabia , Brazil and Mexico top its list of biggest spenders on subsidising fossil fuel production in absolute terms . However , on a population spend per capita basis , the list looks very different , with Saudi Arabia on top spending $ 1,850 / capita on fossil fuel subsidies per annum , followed by Russia at $ 555 / capita and then South Korea at $ 446 . Brazil and Mexico almost tie fourth equal at $ 246 and $ 233 per capita . The US ranks at the tenth biggest fossil - fuel subsidy spender globally in gross terms , and sixth in per capita terms .
As the COP21 summit looms , all sort of interesting data points are emerging : today , Quartz revealed that China , Russia , Saudi Arabia , Brazil and Mexico top its list of biggest spenders on subsidising fossil fuel production in absolute terms . However , on a population spend per capita basis , the list looks very different , with Saudi Arabia on top spending $ 1,850 / capita on fossil fuel subsidies per annum , followed by Russia at $ 555 / capita and then South Korea at $ 446 . Brazil and Mexico almost tie fourth equal at $ 246 and $ 233 per capita . The US ranks at the tenth biggest fossil - fuel subsidy spender globally in gross terms , and sixth in per capita terms .