Republic of the Marshall Islands Joins Coalition to Phase Out Fossil Fuel Subsidies
June 23, 2025, Bonn, Germany — The Republic of the Marshall Islands has become the 17th country to join the Coalition on Phasing Out Fossil Fuel Incentives Including Subsidies (COFFIS), reaffirming its commitment to accelerating the global transition away from fossil fuels and the harmful subsidies that prop them up.
Membership will help the island nation deliver on its 2025 nationally determined contribution commitment to end fossil fuel subsidies as soon as possible in pursuit of accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels this decade.
Hon. Bremity Lakjohn, Minister in Assistance to the President and Environment, Republic of the Marshall Islands, said:
“The Republic of the Marshall Islands is proud to join the Coalition on Phasing Out Fossil Fuel Incentives Including Subsidies. We committed to do this in our Nationally Determined Contribution earlier this year, because it’s vital that governments keep the promises we made together in Dubai to urgently transition away from fossil fuels and the subsidies that support them. We’re doing everything we can to keep 1.5 alive.”
The Netherlands launched COFFIS at the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28) to accelerate the phase-out of domestic fossil fuel subsidies and encourage international cooperation to help maintain a level playing field between countries.
Other member countries include Austria, the federal government of Antigua and Barbuda, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Sophie Hermans, Minister of Climate Policy and Green Growth, the Netherlands, said:
"The Marshall Islands are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Phasing out fossil fuels and their subsidies is important for mitigating the effects of climate change. For that reason, all nations—large and small—should work toward phasing out fossil fuel subsidies. It is great news the Republic of the Marshall Islands has joined the coalition, and I look forward to sharing knowledge and working together with the other coalition members.”
World governments have pledged to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, most recently as part of the global stocktake agreement at COP 28 in Dubai in 2023. However, the implementation of these commitments has been slow, with subsidies globally reaching a record USD 1.1 trillion in 2023, according to the Fossil Fuel Subsidy Tracker.
By joining COFFIS, countries commit to working together to improve transparency, remove international barriers, and facilitate the phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies.
This commitment includes publishing an inventory of their fossil fuel subsidies a year after joining and developing national action plans for phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, with the aim of translating international commitments on phasing out fossil fuel subsidies into specific national actions to remove this support.
Media Contacts
Aia Brnic, Communications Manager, IISD (COFFIS Secretariat): [email protected]
Pieter ten Bruggencate, Senior Spokesman Climate & Energy, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, the Netherlands: [email protected]
COFFIS website: https://www.iisd.org/coffis/
About IISD
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is a globally recognized think tank with 3 decades of experience working to solve the world’s most pressing sustainable development challenges. We combine deep expertise in a wide range of issues with a collaborative approach to research, policy advice, and hands-on support to ensure these solutions are brought to life. Headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, we are a diverse team of over 300 professionals working from offices in Canada, Switzerland, and other locations around the world.
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