IISD's Global Subsidies Initiative releases Biofuels - At What Cost? Government support for ethanol and biodiesel in selected OECD countries
By 2006, government support — provided both nationally and sub-nationally — for biofuels in leading Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) producing countries had reached US$ 11 billion a year. That figure is bound to rise sharply in coming years, a development that should be a source of concern for Finance Ministries.
"The problem, as we saw it, was that nobody was really monitoring the situation, at least in respect of the levels and effects of subsidies and trade barriers," says David Runnalls, President and CEO of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). "The question has to be asked: can governments justify gambling so much of the public's money when the benefits are so questionable? Do biofuels represent the best use of scarce resources? And what does this mean for sustainable development?"
The new report by the Global Subsidies Initiative, Biofuels — At What Cost? Government support for ethanol and biodiesel in selected OECD countries, by Ronald Steenblik, GSI's Research Director, provides an overview and analysis of subsidies to biofuels in Australia, Canada, the European Union, Switzerland and the United States. This synthesis report precedes upcoming individual country reports on subsidies to be released over the next few months.
The next major release is of the EU country study, Biofuels: At What Cost? Government Support for Ethanol and Biodiesel in the European Union. The report will be launched under the auspices of Parliamentarians for Global Action (GLOBE) at the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007.
For more information about the Global Subsidies Initiative go to http://www.globalsubsidies.org
For media requests, please contact:
-
Javed A. Ahmad
Communications Director
The Global Subsidies Initiative
IISD-GSI, 9 chemin de Balexert
1219 Geneva, Switzerland
Phone: +41.22.917.8848
Fax: +41.22.917.8054
E-mail: jahmad@iisd.org
About IISD
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning independent think tank working to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resource management, and fair economies. Our work inspires better decisions and sparks meaningful action to help people and the planet thrive. We shine a light on what can be achieved when governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities come together. IISD’s staff of more than 250 experts come from across the globe and from many disciplines. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto, our work affects lives in nearly 100 countries.
You might also be interested in
COP 29 Outcome Moves Needle on Finance
In the last hours of negotiations, concerted pressure from the most vulnerable developing countries resulted in an improved outcome on the finance target, with a decision to set a goal of at least USD 300 billion per year by 2035 for developing countries to advance their climate action.
The Hidden Clauses That Can Hinder Tax and Investment Policy Reform
Stabilization clauses should no longer automatically be included in contracts between states and investors. If they are, they should, at a minimum, build on the latest international standards on stabilization to avoid being a barrier to sustainable development.
Why Trade Matters in the Plastic–Pollution Treaty Negotiations
The global push to end plastic pollution by 2040 highlights the critical intersection of trade and environmental action, with upcoming INC-5 negotiations focusing on reducing plastic production, consumption, and waste within a fair and effective international framework.
Coalition against fossil fuel subsidies expands but misses initial targets
The UK, Colombia, and New Zealand have signed on to a coalition of governments aiming to phase out fossil fuel subsidies, joining 13 other mainly European nations in the alliance. IISD's Vance Culbert said that half a dozen more countries—including "a few larger economy developing countries"—are talking privately to them about joining too.