Date: Tuesday 11 December
Time: 14.30-15.00
Location: COP 24, Area F, Theatre, Media Room, Katowice, Poland

A cohort of government officials kick off a virtual, international hub dedicated to understanding fossil fuel subsidies in order to accelerate their phase-out and meet the Paris Agreement.

This media event will:

• Highlight the continued scale and size of existing subsidies to fossil fuels and the need for reform given increased ambition and findings from the recent IPCC report;

• Showcase the work of countries in reforming, and switching towards investment in sustainable energy and a fair transition (e.g. Friends, Zambia, Italy etc.); and
• Highlight the role of the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform via the launch of a supportive peer-to-peer learning virtual network – the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform Network, that has met virtually under the auspices of the Friends, to share lessons throughout the year.

Panelists will include:

• Stephanie Lee, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand

• Marc Chardonnens, State Secretary, Director of the Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland
• Kimmo Tiilikainen, Minister of Housing, Energy and the Environment, Finland
• Francesco La Camera, Director General, Ministry of Environment, Land & Sea, Italy
• Kangwa Muyunda, CUTs International, Zambia
• Ola Elvestuen, Minister for Climate and Environment, Norway

For media inquires, please contact Ziona Eyob, Media and Communications Officer: zeyob@iisd.ca

About the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform: Set up in June 2010, the “Friends” is an informal group of non-G20 countries aiming to build political consensus on the importance of FFSR. Members of the group include Costa Rica, Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Uruguay. Learn more at www.fffsr.org

About the IISD Global Subsidies Initiative: The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an independent think tank championing sustainable solutions to 21st century problems. The Global Subsidies Initiative supports international processes, national governments and civil society organizations to align subsidies with sustainable development. Learn more at www.iisd.org/gsi