About

At IISD’s Global Subsidies Initiative, we conduct in-depth research and analysis on how subsidies impact economies, societies, and the environment—and we work with governments and partners to ensure they serve the public good.

A major focus of our work is fossil fuel subsidies, which continue to prop up coal, oil, and natural gas at a time when the world must urgently shift to clean energy. GSI is home to the IISD–OECD Fossil Fuel Subsidy Tracker—a key global resource in identifying and quantifying these subsidies.

GSI explores the impact of fossil fuel subsidies, highlights pathways for reform, and supports first-mover coalitions like the Coalition on Phasing Out Fossil Fuel Incentives Including Subsidies (COFFIS) and the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform in advancing policy change. But lasting reform happens at the national level, which is why GSI runs energy subsidy reform programs in countries around the world—from China and India to Canada and Indonesia.

Beyond fossil fuels, GSI also works with partners to reform subsidies in other sectors, including agriculture, fisheries, and industrial sectors, where financial incentives often work against sustainability. Our work has delivered real impacts, including the conclusion of a binding international agreement on subsidies, the 2022 WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, and continues to support the implementation of new commitments, like Target 18 of the Kunming Agenda under the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Through evidence-based research, global advocacy, and direct policy engagement, GSI helps governments create more equitable and sustainable economies.