Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com). Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it exclusively produces is in the public domain. June 7, 2008 US Energy Secretary Calls for Cuts in Global Fuel Subsidies ------------------------------------------------------------ http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1C90A18:A6F02AD83191E160AA027E95D081EAE1B3350E090FE6A6E8& Samuel Bodman says although global demand for oil is increasing, oil production has been capped at 85 million barrels a day for last three years US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman speaks during joint press conference in Aomori, 07 Jun 2008U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman says fuel price subsidies are not the remedy for rising oil prices. Bodman told reporters in Aomori Japan Saturday that although global demand for oil is increasing, oil production has been capped at 85 million barrels a day for the last three years. He called for an increase in energy investment. His comments come one day after oil prices surged more than $11 a barrel to set a record of more than $139 in New York trading. Bodman called price increases "shocking," but said consumers will not change their habits if their countries keep fuel prices low through subsidies. Bodman is in Japan to meet with the energy chiefs from the Group of Eight industrialized countries, and other key economies. G8 environment ministers and their counterparts from fast-growing economies held talks two weeks ago in Kobe, Japan, ahead of a G8 summit next month. Scientists warned the delegates that rising oil prices threaten to speed the increase of greenhouse gas emissions by spurring a shift to cheaper and dirtier fuels like coal. The delegates issued a statement saying wealthy nations should take the lead in setting numerical targets for emissions cuts, but did not suggest any targets. European governments and some developing countries have been pushing for ambitious emissions goals for the year 2020 to focus immediate actions. But participants in the Kobe talks said such a consensus now seems unlikely. The G8 groups the governments of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Britain and the United States. Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters. .