World leaders must move now to renewable, clean energy sources like wind energy. And with the new Global Wind Day app you can tell them to do it and why.

On 17 and 18 June, leaders of the governments of the world’s eight wealthiest countries are meeting in the UK. The leaders of these countries, such as Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel and François Hollande, are ultimately responsible for the continuing and growing support for dirty fossil fuels given by their governments. Such subsidies are up nearly 30% from 2010 to $523bn in 2011 (IEA, 2012) compared to $88bn for renewables.

Before this upcoming G8 meeting, you can personally send the leader of your choice a message. Login to Facebook and use the Global Wind Day app to directly message one of the G8 leaders, with your choice of image and text. It’s easy, fun, fast and effective – the app will allow you to show how you feel about the world’s most powerful countries continuing support of climate-change inducing fuels.

You’ll be joining a growing movement around the world that is calling for the removal of aid for polluting fuels. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is urging governments to phase-out expensive fossil fuel subsidies to free resources for public spending in areas like education and health care. Almost 9% of all annual country budgets are spent supporting the oil, natural gas, and coal industries through direct subsidies, consumer rebates and avoided taxes on pollution, according to an IMF report.

The IMF provide 22 global case studies of subsidy reforms over the past two decades, to help governments phase out fossil fuel subsidies in the ‘right way’. They provide a plan for fossil fuel subsidy reform which emphasises transparency, committed phase-out planning and support for people vulnerable to energy price rises. Speaking in Washington D.C, the IMF’s first deputy managing director David Lipton said that now is the time to embrace an end to government support for fossil fuels, and to put a price on carbon emissions.

Removing these subsidies would be a major step towards reducing the world’s carbon footprint at a time when scientists suggest the impacts of climate change are accelerating.

Visit the Global Wind Day app on Facebook and send your wake-up call.