News & Events

Following announcements that fossil-fuel subsidies will be phased out, from the G-20, the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and a number of independent countries, including Iran, Nigeria and Bahrain, Subsidy Watch each month highlights important news stories that touch on this theme.

GENEVA—April 21, 2010—The International Institute for Sustainable Development's Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) has issued a five-part series of reports into how nations might remove fossil-fuel subsidies, on the eve of a meeting of G-20 finance ministers in Washington this week. GSI's Untold Billions: Fossil-fuel subsidies, their impacts and the path to reform provides necessary research and analysis to support the commitment by the G20 and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum to phase out inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies.

According to a recent analysis by farmsubsidy.org, in order to understand how the EU establishes its budget it is first necessary to appreciate the different characters and priorities of the EU's Member states. The report, Does the CAP fit?

Following announcements that fossil-fuel subsidies will be phased out, from the G-20, the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and a number of independent countries, including Iran, Nigeria and Bahrain, Subsidy Watchhas decided each month to highlight important news stories that touch on this theme.

The Indian government is reportedly considering the partial reform of fertilizer subsidies in an effort to reign back its fiscal deficit.

Following announcements that fossil-fuel subsidies will be phased out by the G-20, the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and a number of independent countries, including Iran, Nigeria and Bahrain, Subsidy Watchwill be highlighting the most interesting news stories that touch on this theme each month.

Controversy continues to surround Iran's bill on subsidy reform, with the government and parliament unable to agree on how the saved revenues should be managed. Tension has simmered since the parliament introduced an amendment to the bill in November 2009, which established that revenues would be saved in a special account for public spending.

The European Automobile Manufacturer's Association (ACEA) reports that passenger car sales in the first eleven months of 2009 show that car-scrapping schemes - programs in which vehicle owners are given money by the state to trade in old vehicles for new, more efficient ones - are a successful way to support car industries struggling in the recession.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is conducting a research program on fossil-fuel subsidies as part of its Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI). We are currently welcoming proposals for a case study on subsidies to the petroleum industry in Canada. The report will form part of a series researching subsidies to specific energy sectors in both developing and developed countries.

According to an investigative report published on 31 October by Harry Esteve in The Oregonian newspaper, the administration of Ted Kulongoski, Oregon's Governor, intentionally underestimated the true cost of a tax credit created to subsidize renewable energy, in order to get it passed by the State Legislature. The Business Energy Tax Credit (BETC), was introduced in order to attract green investments to the State.