Fossil-fuel subsidies

For decades, fossil-fuel subsidies have encouraged wasteful spending and harmful emissions.  In September 2009, the G-20 agreed to phase them out. GSI research uncovers the characteristics of fossil-fuel subsidies and lessons for reform.

Research

Supporting Country Reform Efforts

The GSI works with governments, civil society and the private sector to help progress fossil-fuel subsidy reform. The following resources are intended to support national governments that are reducing fossil-fuel subsidies, as well raise awareness on the process and impacts of reform among the citizens. 

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Tracking Progress: G-20 and APEC Commitments to Reform

The leaders of the Group of Twenty (G-20) countries agreed in September 2009 to phase-out inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies over the medium term. This section of the GSI website is dedicated to tracking the progress that has taken place since this commitment – including developments at subsequent G-20 Summits, the similar commitment made by APEC Leaders in November 2009, and the formation of a group of ‘Friends’ countries in support of both reform movements. 

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Fossil Fuels - At What Cost?

Globally, subsidies to fossil fuels may be on the order of US$ 600 billion per year, of which the GSI estimates about US$ 100 billion is provided to producers. Nobody knows the real number, however, because there is no international framework for regularly monitoring fossil-fuel subsidies. In the "Fossil Fuels - At What Cost?" series, the GSI works to improve subsidy estimates by undertaking detailed country surveys of these subsidies for producers. Studies to date include Norway, Canada and Indonesia.

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Subsidies to Different Energy Types: Fossil Fuels, Renewables, Nuclear and Biofuels

These studies review knowledge to date on the scale of subsidies to electric power and to transport. They summarize estimates of subsidies to fossil-fuels, renewable power, nuclear power and biofuels, and discuss how subsidies to different energy types might be compared.

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Untold Billions: Fossil-Fuel Subsidies, Their Impacts and the Path to Reform

Untold Billions is a series of five papers examining important themes related to fossil-fuel subsidies: subsidies to fossil-fuel producers; the economic, social and environmental effects of subsidy reform; the political economy of subsidy reform; strategies for subsidy reform; and the role of transparency in accelerating reform.

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Case studies: Lessons Learned From Attempts to Reform Fossil-Fuel Subsidies

The GSI has commissioned case studies of fossil-fuel subsidy reform in Brazil, France, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Poland and Senegal. From analysing experience in these countries, it is apparent that reform is not easy but can be achieved.

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Fossil Fuel Policy Briefs

Policy briefs on fossil-fuel subsidies and strategies for reform. 

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Resources

Resources for identifying, measuring and assessing fossil-fuel subsidies. 

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