We Ask Your Government! how much its fossil-fuel subsidies cost
The International Budget Partnership (IBP) commenced a project in 2010 that aimed to find out how well governments respond to legitimate requests from civil society for information on specific areas of public expenditure.
The Ask Your Government! (AYG) How Much it is Spending on Development Commitments initiative posed six budget-related questions to 80 governments. The Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) developed one of those questions: "What was the total amount actually incurred during the past three fiscal years on subsidies for oil, gas and coal production and consumption?"The results illustrate the opacity of fossil-fuel subsidy policies and the lack of information about how governments are spending public money. This brief analyzes the findings of the survey and provides insightful anecdotes from the surveyors that demonstrate the challenges of accessing information on subsidy expenditure; and concludes with recommendations for how policy-makers can improve the availability and quality of information about subsidies.
Participating experts
You might also be interested in
G20 Finance Ministerials and World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings: Expert comment
G20 finance ministerials and World Bank/IMF spring meetings will take place this week in Washington. High on the agenda is the need to mobilize trillions of dollars of investment in the transition to clean energy.
IISD Applauds Canada’s Reaffirmation to End Domestic Public Finance for Fossil Fuels in Budget 2024
Today's federal budget announcement delivers new measures to support affordability and reaffirms Canada’s commitments on climate action.
South African Fossil Fuel Subsidies Hit Record Highs as Country's Energy Crisis Deepens
South Africa's fossil fuel subsidies tripled between 2018 and 2023, hitting USD 7.5 billion, up from USD 2.9 billion 5 years earlier, a new report by IISD reveals.
Blackouts and Backsliding: Energy subsidies in South Africa 2023
Blackouts and Backsliding presents the latest energy subsidy data for South Africa.