Christopher Beaton is Lead, Sustainable Energy Consumption in IISD's Energy program.
His research role spans various projects within IISD’s trade and climate change portfolio. He conducts and manages research for projects in IISD’s Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI), including co-authoring, coordinating and editing its 2013 flagship publication A Guidebook to Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform; managing research to project the impacts of subsidy reform in India, Indonesia and Thailand; and managing the GSI’s country work program on fossil-fuel subsidies in Indonesia. Christopher also conducts research for IISD’s work streams on global environmental governance and the green economy, contributing recently to the publication The Future of Sustainable Development: Rethinking sustainable development after Rio+20 and implications for UNEP, and taking a lead role in researching and drafting the Enabling Conditions chapter of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Green Economy Report. He has also prepared research on green taxation in cooperation with the China National Renewable Energy Centre (CNREC), policy briefs on renewable energy for the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and a state of play of global initiatives to take forward international commitments to Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP). Christopher’s communications role is focused on supporting the IISD’s Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI): managing its website, organising events, facilitating dialogues, representing the GSI and developing strategic thinking and interactive media for communicating the GSI’s research and policy recommendations. Recent projects include the development of an educational video with the World Bank Institute’s (WBI) Climate Change Unit, co-organising a meeting of the Network for Fuel Price Regulators in cooperation with the German development agency GIZ and developing an interactive timeline for the GSI website to highlight progress that has been made toward G-20 and APEC commitments to reform fossil-fuel subsidies.
Christopher has also combined his interest in policy research and communications through various projects investigating the linkages that exist between the major economic structural change that is needed to achieve sustainable development and the communications challenges that this creates for governments, both in developing transition strategies and implementing policy change.
All Publications
- Mapping India's Energy Subsidies 2020: Fossil fuels, renewables and electric vehicles
Report - April 7, 2020
How have India’s energy subsidy policies changed? What have been the most significant developments in India’s dynamic energy policy environment? And is public support aligned with India’s desired energy future? - Gender and Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform in Nigeria: Findings and recommendations
Report - February 5, 2020
The report examines from a gender perspective the impact of kerosene subsidies and their reform in Nigeria, finding that kerosene subsidies did not work for poor women. - Gender and Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform in Bangladesh: Findings and recommendations
Paper - February 5, 2020
The report examines from a gender perspective the impact of kerosene subsidies and their reform in Bangladesh. The report advocates that kerosene subsidy reform needs to be handled with care. - How to Target Electricity and LPG Subsidies in India: Step 1. Identifying Policy Options
Report - December 20, 2019
This report identifies knowledge gaps that are limiting policy making for better targeting of energy access subsidies in India. It identifies a number of targeting interventions that could be employed to better target subsidies for electricity and LPG. - Gender and Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform in India: Findings and recommendations
Report - December 18, 2019
The report examines the impacts of India’s subsidies to cooking gas—and their reform—from a gender perspective. It explores how liquified petroleum gas (LPG) subsidy policies and their reform affect women and girls in low-income households. - Mapping Policy for Solar Irrigation Across the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus in India
Report - August 6, 2019
How are India's off-grid solar pump policies affecting the water–energy–food nexus? This paper maps out impacts and the key policies that are driving them. - G20 Coal Subsidies: India
Briefing Note - June 28, 2019
This country study and accompanying data sheet compile publicly available information on G20 subsidies to the production and consumption of coal (including coal-fired power) in India in 2016 and 2017. - G20 Coal Subsidies: Tracking government support to a fading industry
Report - June 25, 2019
This research tracks each G20 country’s progress in phasing out subsidies to the production and consumption of coal (including coal-fired power), looking at fiscal support, public finance and state-owned enterprise investment. - Policy Approaches for a Kerosene to Solar Subsidy Swap in India
Report - April 17, 2019
India could save money and reduce indoor air pollution by switching kerosene subsidies to solar. - India's Energy Transition: Stranded coal power assets, workers and energy subsidies
Briefing Note - April 2, 2019
What is driving stressed coal power assets in India, and how do we ensure workers, not assets, are the focus of government interventions in the future? - Is GST stalling India's clean energy transition?
Blog - March 8, 2019
Is a newly introduced Goods and Sales Tax stalling India's move away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy? - India's Energy Transition: The Impact of the Goods and Services Tax on Solar Photovoltaic and Coal Power Costs
Briefing Note - March 6, 2019
One of the biggest changes in India's energy subsidy policy in FY18 was the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). How did this affect subsidies and costs for coal power and solar PV? - Gender and Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform: Findings from and recommendations for Bangladesh, India and Nigeria
Report - January 29, 2019
This report looks at the impact of subsidies to kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and subsidy reform from a gender perspective across three countries: Bangladesh, India and Nigeria. - India's Energy Transition: Subsidies for Fossil Fuels and Renewable Energy, 2018 Update
Report - December 19, 2018
How have India’s energy subsidy policies changed since 2016? Have they become more or less aligned with India’s desired energy future? How have India’s energy subsidy policies changed since 2016? Have they become more or less aligned with India’s desired energy future? - Improving and Refocusing Electricity Subsidies: Options for optimization in Mexico
Report - December 19, 2018
IISD is proud to partner with CONECC German-Mexican Energy Partnership on this report which identifies and evaluates options for reforming Mexico’s electricity subsidies. - Stories from G20 Countries: Shifting public money out of fossil fuels
Report - November 21, 2018
This analysis has brought together examples illustrating how G20 countries can learn from each other and align the flows of public money with climate targets and the Sustainable Development Goals. - Support for Clean Cooking in India: Tracking the latest developments in LPG subsidies
Interactive - November 20, 2018
An in-depth look at recent developments in India's subsidies for household cooking gas. - Economic Instruments to Leverage Clean Energy Investment
Report - August 11, 2018
There is widespread recognition that the bulk of the investment needed to meet the Paris objectives and SDGs will have to come from private... - Getting on Target: Accelerating energy access through fossil fuel subsidy reform
Report - July 17, 2018
How can reforming fossil fuel subsidies accelerate universal energy access (SDG 7)? This paper reviews the financial and practical implications of fossil fuel subsidies for SDG 7. - India's Energy Transition: Mapping subsidies to fossil fuels and clean energy in India
Report - November 28, 2017
This report maps out the context, magnitude, trends and impacts of India’s energy subsidies. It aims to enhance transparency and dialogue on energy choices in India and to help track shifts in government support from fossil fuels to renewables. - Chapter 4, Indonesia: Pricing Reforms, Social Assistance, and the Importance of Perceptions, The Political Economy of Energy Subsidy Reform
Report - March 15, 2017
This World Bank book, edited by by Gabriela Inchauste and David G. Victor, brings together detailed chapters on the political economy of subsidy... - Compensation Mechanisms for Fuel Subsidy Removal in Nigeria
Report - December 14, 2016
This study conducts a detailed analysis of the compensation mechanisms that could be used to mitigate the impact of fuel subsidy removal on weak and vulnerable segments of Nigerian society. - Gender and Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform: Current status of research
Report - September 27, 2016
Little is known about the gender differentiated impacts of fossil fuel subsidy reforms. This review takes stock of existing knowledge, identifies knowledge gaps and sets out plans for future research in this area. - One Fuel, Two Prices: International experiences with dual pricing of fuel
Briefing Note - August 16, 2016
This briefing note sets out some basic information about international experiences with “dual pricing”: selling the same fuel product at two different prices to different types of consumers - Financing Development With Fossil Fuel Subsidies: The reallocation of Indonesia's gasoline and diesel subsidies in 2015
Report - May 24, 2016
This report investigates how fuel subsidy reform and reallocation in Indonesia have been a major step forward in improving public expenditure. - Supporting Energy Pricing Reform and Carbon Pricing Policies Through Crediting
Report - May 17, 2016
This study examines the role that policy crediting might play in increasing the mitigation impact of energy pricing reform and carbon pricing policies. - Making Subsidy Reform Work for Women in Nigeria
Briefing Note - May 12, 2016
Kerosene subsidies in Nigeria are inefficient and wasteful—but will kerosene subsidy reform disproportionately affect women, due its primary use as a household lighting and cooking fuel? This policy brief explores principles for making subsidy reform work for women in Nigeria. - International Experiences With LPG Subsidy Reform
Report - February 9, 2016
This report investigates international experience and best practices on how to reform liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) subsidies, with a focus on countries’ efforts to ensure that energy access is not compromised by higher LPG prices. - G20 subsidies to oil, gas and coal production: Indonesia
Paper - June 14, 2015
Jointly prepared by IISD, OCI and ODI, this country study and accompanying data sheet compiles publicly available information on fossil fuel... - Assessing the Cost-Effectiveness of Renewable Energy Deployment Subsidies: Onshore wind power in Germany and China
Paper - December 31, 2014
This study reviews deployment subsidies for onshore wind in two countries, Germany and China.Its primary goal is to better inform debates about... - Assessing the Cost-Effectiveness of Renewable Energy Deployment Subsidies: Solar PV in Germany and Spain
Paper - December 31, 2014
This study reviews deployment subsidies for solar PV in two European countries, Germany and Spain. It forms one of a series of three looking at the cost-effectiveness of renewable energy deployment subsidies, each one focusing on different technologies and countries. - Assessing the Cost-Effectiveness of Renewable Energy Deployment Subsidies: Biomass power in the United Kingdom and Germany
Paper - December 31, 2014
This study reviews deployment subsidies for biomass power in two European countries, Germany and the United Kingdom.Its primary goal is to better... - Green Revenues for Green Energy: Environmental fiscal reform for renewable energy technology deployment in China
Paper - October 22, 2013
China's economy continues to grow rapidly with corresponding increases in both energy consumption and environmental pollution.Renewable energy is a... - A Guidebook to Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform for Policy-Makers in Southeast Asia
Paper - May 30, 2013
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for fossil-fuel subsidy reform—but there are a set of planning stages that are generic, along with many... - The Future of Sustainable Development: Rethinking sustainable development after Rio+20 and implications for UNEP
Book - April 11, 2013
The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) in June 2012—commonly referred to as Rio+20—left many perplexed. If a number of... - A Citizens' Guide to Energy Subsidies in Nigeria
Paper - August 17, 2012
Most people in Nigeria see fuel subsidies as their share of wealth from the country's oil reserves.However, evidence suggests that the subsidies... - State of Play on Biofuel Subsidies: Are policies ready to shift?
Video - June 23, 2012
June 19, 2012 - RIO DE JANEIRO - The GSI report State of Play on Biofuel Subsidies: Are policies ready to shift? was launched at a special... - "SCP at the Global Level" and "SCP at the Regional Level" in Global Outlook on Sustainable Consumption and Production Policies
Paper - May 5, 2012
The report Global Outlook on Sustainable Consumption and Production [SCP] Policies, developed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)... - "Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform: Building momentum at Rio and beyond" Side Event Summary
Paper - April 18, 2012
NEW YORK - March 26, 2012 - The Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform group and the International Institute for Sustainable Development's (IISD's)... - Renewable Energy Jobs: Status, prospects & policies. Biofuels and Grid-Connected Electricity Generation
Paper - February 17, 2012
The job-creating potential of renewable energy is analyzed in Renewable Energy Jobs: Status, prospects & policies, a recent IRENA Working Paper... - International Environmental Governance Reform: Inputs to the African preparatory process
Paper - November 30, 2011
One of the two themes for discussion at Rio+20—the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, to take place in June, 2012—is ... - A sectoral approach, agreement and mechanism (SAAM) for the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in Japan's iron and steel industry
Paper - May 13, 2011
This report outlines a sectoral approach, agreement and mechanism (SAAM) for the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in Japan's iron and steel... - Towards a Green Economy: Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication - Enabling Conditions Supporting the Transition to a Global Green Economy
Book - April 5, 2011
United Nations Environment Programme's Green Economy Initiative, in collaboration with economists and experts worldwide, compiled the book: ... - Lessons Learned from Indonesia's Attempts to Reform Fossil-Fuel Subsidies
Paper - October 23, 2010
This report, prepared by Christopher Beaton and Lucky Lontoh, examines Indonesia's attempts to reform fossil-fuel subsidies.It reviews the history... - Strategies for Reforming Fossil-Fuel Subsidies: Practical lessons from Ghana, France and Senegal
Paper - May 4, 2010
This paper analyzes the experiences of countries that have undertaken reform of their fossil-fuel subsidies and establishes what lessons can be... - Biofuels: At What Cost? Government support for ethanol and biodiesel in Switzerland
Paper - September 27, 2007
Report on government support for biofuels in Switzerland by the Global Subsidies Initiative of IISD.