Subsidies to fossil fuels are a barrier to sustainable climate smart development. But rooting them out has proven to be a complex endeavor, with many political and social challenges. The event will highlight the need for a comprehensive approach to reforming energy subsidies laid out in ESMAP’s forthcoming Energy Subsidy Reform Assessment Framework. A panel of government officials from across the world will discuss how to navigate this complex process of implementing such reforms.  Questions they will touch upon include: What are some of the important steps in preparing for a sustained subsidy reform agenda with few reversals? How to ensure that the poor do not take the brunt of the impact? How can effective communication be maintained throughout reform implementation? How these reforms contribute to a country’s climate change objectives? This is an FFSR side event at COP 23. 

Location: EU Pavilion, COP23 Venue
Organizer: ESMAP/World Bank