Subsidies
With over 10 years of experience, the IISD Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) is widely recognized as world-class leader in the quantification, evaluation and reform of subsidies.
Governments around the world spend at least a trillion dollars a year on subsidies to exploit the world's natural resources. But faced with increasing fiscal constraints, and concerned about making their economies cleaner, more inclusive and stable, governments are under increasing pressure to change course.
GSI works closely with governments to help them move away from subsidies that hinder sustainability. The goal is to encourage individual governments to undertake unilateral reforms on subsidy policy where these would deliver clear economic, environmental and social benefits. GSI also aims to generate a consensus in the World Trade Organization and in other forums on the need to take resolute, ongoing and systematic action to reduce or eliminate subsidies that are trade-distorting and undermine sustainable development.
- Commentary
Joint Submission: Eliminate production subsidies to the fossil fuel sector in Canada
In this joint submission, Oil Change International, Environmental Defence, Équiterre, International Institute for Sustainable Development, and Climate Action Network recommend that that First Ministers agree in November 2016 to eliminate federal and provincial subsidies to oil, gas and coal by 2020. It also urges the Government of Canada to commit to publicly releasing a detailed schedule in their respective 2017 budgets outlining the specific fiscal measure to be eliminated.
Read More - Blog
How Subsidies for Kerosene are Holding Back Solar Power in India
Kerosene is used by millions of households in rural India to meet basic lighting needs, and subsidies have long been used to make the fuel more affordable. But for health, safety and environmental reasons, a switch to solar power is better—and more affordable in the absence of kerosene subsidies.
Read More - Policy Brief
Building on Momentum: Recommendations from the GSI for Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform at the G20
This policy brief examines the progress made to phase-out inefficient and wasteful fossil fuel subsidies, the increasing momentum behind subsidy reform in international processes and the steps needed to ensure that the commitment is met.
Read More - Commentary
Meeting Canada's Subsidy Phase-Out Goal: What it means in Ontario
IISD examines some of the fossil fuel subsidies in place in Ontario, how the government is responding to them and where more can be done.
Read More - Report
Financing Development With Fossil Fuel Subsidies: The reallocation of Indonesia's gasoline and diesel subsidies in 2015
This report investigates how fuel subsidy reform and reallocation in Indonesia have been a major step forward in improving public expenditure.
Read More - Video
Financing Adaptation and Resilience Through Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform and Fuel Duty
On Tuesday, 24 May 2016, the event “Financing Adaptation and Resilience Through Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform and Fuel Duty” took place in Bonn, Germany.
Read More - Report
Supporting Energy Pricing Reform and Carbon Pricing Policies Through Crediting
This study examines the role that policy crediting might play in increasing the mitigation impact of energy pricing reform and carbon pricing policies.
Read More - Briefing Note
Making Subsidy Reform Work for Women in Nigeria
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.
Read More - Report
DBTL Performance Evaluation: Insights from the world's largest subsidy benefit transfer scheme
This report evaluates the modified DBTL scheme, Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG, recognized as the world’s largest benefit transfer scheme. The evaluation reports on the the efficacy of the scheme against its stated objectives and its implementation process, as well as the experiences of key stakeholders with the scheme’s implementation and impact.
Read More - Report
Providing Clean Cooking Fuel in India: Challenges and solutions
This report explores the issues and challenges of clean cooking in urban India through a case study of the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation in Uttar Pradesh. The report analyses results from a survey of 250 households in Ghaziabad district which yielded statistics and insights on clean cooking coverage and accessibility, energy usage and prices and how gender is an important determinant of cleaner cooking fuels.
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