GSI-UNEP Joint Conference Report: Increasing the Momentum of Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform - Developments and Opportunities

In the last 12 months, the reform of fossil-fuel subsidies has been high on international agendas: the G-20 and APEC have committed to phasing out inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies and the Friends of Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform group of countries was established, to encourage and support the G-20 initiative.

Despite these ongoing developments, little is known about the strategies, progress or timelines of different national governments and international forums. To facilitate a deeper understanding of the issues, activities and opportunities for international collaboration, the Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) held a two-day conference, Increasing the Momentum of Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform: Developments and Opportunities, in order to bring together country delegates and experts from international organizations, NGOs, universities and the industrial sector.

The event featured representatives from international organizations such as the OECD, UNEP, World Bank, WTO and OPEC, as well as international forums such as G-20, APEC and the Friends group of countries that support reforming fossil-fuel subsidies, who shared and reviewed their perspectives and activities. It discussed not only the scale and impacts of consumer and producer subsidies, but especially focused on international developments, reform strategies and opportunities for enhanced international cooperation. The conference report summarizes the presentations and discussions of the two-day conference and includes a resource list of relevant documents and research reports.