Report
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Making the Switch: From fossil fuel subsidies to sustainable energy

This report estimates fossil fuel subsidies to be around USD 425 billion. Such subsidies represent large lost opportunities for governments to invest in renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable development. 

By Laura Merrill, Richard Bridle, Ivetta Gerasimchuk, Yanick Touchette, Frédéric Gagnon-Lebrun, Lucky Lontoh, Shruti Sharma, Philip Gass, Lourdes Sanchez , Markus Klimscheffskij, Paula Tommila on May 10, 2017
Download from Nordic Co-operation

This report estimates fossil fuel subsidies to be around USD 425 billion. Such subsidies represent large lost opportunities for governments to invest in renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable development.

Removal of consumer subsidies can lead to carbon emission reductions (6 to 8 per cent by 2050 globally), Reductions that can be improved further with a switch or a "SWAP" towards sustainable energy. This report describes the scale and impact of fossil fuel subsidies on sustainable development. It describes the SWAP concept to switch savings made from fossil fuel subsidy reform, towards sustainable energy, energy efficiency and safety nets. The report provides potential SWAP outlines for Bangladesh, Indonesia, Morocco and Zambia. "Making the Switch" was written for the Nordic Council Ministers by the Global Subsidies Initiative of IISD and Gaia Consulting.

Participating experts

Richard Bridle

Senior Policy Advisor

Ivetta Gerasimchuk

Director, Energy Program, International Strategy

Lucky Lontoh

Associate and Country Coordinator

Shruti Sharma

Lead, Affordable Energy

Philip Gass

Director, Energy Program, Just Transitions and Canada

Report details

Topic
Subsidies
Region
Global
Focus area
Climate
Publisher
Nordisk Ministerråd
Copyright
Nordisk Ministerråd, 2017