Our Issue Experts
Tara Laan
Associate
Tara Laan is an Associate for the Global Subsidies Initiative, an IISD program that reveals how transfers of public money to private interests can undermine sustainable development.
Before joining GSI, Tara held several positions in the Australian Government, including senior adviser for trade policy in the prime minister’s department and adviser on natural resource management and environmental conservation issues. Tara also led a team on education policy in the premier’s department in the Australian state of Victoria.Tara's research for her Bachelor degree demonstrated that European Honey Bees—an introduced species in Australia—were ineffective pollinators of a native Australian plant and were out-competing native pollinators.
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Policy Approaches for a Kerosene to Solar Subsidy Swap in India India could save money and reduce indoor air pollution by switching kerosene subsidies to solar. -
Women Could Gain Far More With Better Targeting of Government Energy Subsidies, New Research FindsMillions of dollars worth of fossil fuel subsidies could be better targeted by governments to benefit poor women. -
India's Energy Subsidies Moving in the Right DirectionIndia has become an outspoken proponent of renewable energy, but do the facts back up the rhetoric? Is the central government walking the talk when it comes to India's energy subsidies? -
India Energy Subsidy Briefing December 2018The latest news on energy subsidy issues in India, including draft amendments to the Electricity Act 2003, India poised to exceed renewable energy target and oil subsidy burden potentially on the rise. -
Improving and Refocusing Electricity Subsidies: Options for optimization in MexicoIISD is proud to partner with CONECC German-Mexican Energy Partnership on this report which identifies and evaluates options for reforming Mexico’s electricity subsidies. -
Support for Clean Cooking in India: Tracking the latest developments in LPG subsidiesAn in-depth look at recent developments in India's subsidies for household cooking gas. -
Gender and Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform: An audit of data on energy subsidies, energy use and gender in IndonesiaThis study provides an initial investigation into LPG subsidies and their reform and gender in Indonesia by examining the available data on household use of energy and relevant gender issues. -
A Guidebook to Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform for Policy-Makers in Southeast AsiaThere is no one-size-fits-all strategy for fossil-fuel subsidy reform—but there are a set of planning stages that are generic, along with many... -
Biofuels—At What Cost? A review of costs and benefits of EU biofuel policiesBiofuels—At What Cost? A review of costs and benefits of EU biofuel policies analyzes a range of costs and benefits associated with European Union ... -
A Citizens' Guide to Energy Subsidies in ThailandThailand has stabilized and subsidized energy prices for decades in an effort to shield consumers from volatile energy prices and improve access to... -
Reforming Fossil-Fuel Subsidies to Reduce Waste and Limit CO2 Emissions while Protecting the PoorAsia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies are estimated to have spent at least US$105 billion subsidizing fossil-fuel consumption in 2010... -
The High Cost of Cheap Energy: Russia's Fossil-Fuel Subsidies Undermine Sustainable DevelopmentRussia provides some of the largest subsidies for fossil fuels in the world.The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated that Russian subsidies... -
A Citizen's Guide to Energy Subsidies in IndonesiaIndonesia's fuel subsidies were put in place to make energy more affordable, particularly for poor people.However, overwhelming evidence suggests... -
We Ask Your Government! how much its fossil-fuel subsidies costThe International Budget Partnership (IBP) commenced a project in 2010 that aimed to find out how well governments respond to legitimate requests... -
Towards a Green Economy: Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication - Enabling Conditions Supporting the Transition to a Global Green EconomyUnited Nations Environment Programme's Green Economy Initiative, in collaboration with economists and experts worldwide, compiled the book: ... -
Lessons Learned from Brazil's Experience with Fossil-Fuel Subsidies and their ReformBrazil's attempts to reform fuel subsidies have often been frustrated by interest groups trying to maintain the use of certain consumer subsides.... -
Strategies for Reforming Fossil-Fuel Subsidies: Practical lessons from Ghana, France and SenegalThis paper analyzes the experiences of countries that have undertaken reform of their fossil-fuel subsidies and establishes what lessons can be... -
Gaining Traction: The importance of transparency in accelerating the reform of fossil-fuel subsidiesTransparency is the cornerstone of holding governments accountable for the ways in which they spend public money. As governments increasingly... -
Biofuels - At What Cost? Government support for ethanol and biodiesel in CanadaThis report provides an in-depth analysis of government support to biofuels in Canada, including a comprehensive quantification of the amount of... -
Biofuels At What Cost? Government support for ethanol and biodiesel in IndonesiaThis report on government support to biofuels in Indonesia finds that the country has been slow to implement its ambitious plans for biofuel... -
Biofuels - At What Cost? Government support for ethanol and biodiesel in ChinaThis report provides data and analysis on government support for biofuels in China. The report finds that China provided a total of RMB 780 million... -
Biofuels - At What Cost? Government support for biodiesel in Malaysia This report provides a detailed assessment of government intervention in the biodiesel market in Malaysia. It also analyses the role of government...
