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Producer Fossil Fuel Subsidies

Producer subsidies are put in place to cut costs for fossil fuel producers. Some examples include tax breaks, public finance allocated specifically for fossil fuel production, and subsidies to state-owned enterprises.

The Tough Politics of Energy Subsidy

October 10, 2009 | David G. Victor
Governments spend staggering sums of money subsidizing energy—in particular fossil fuels, but increasingly also other forms of energy such as renewables.  The latest global assessment, published last year by the International Energy Agency, puts the total energy subsidy at far more than US$300 billion annually.

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News: Call for Proposals - Indonesia Case Study: Subsidies to the Oil and Gas Industry

September 16, 2009
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is conducting a study on fossil fuel subsidies as part of its Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI). The GSI is dedicated to research and awareness building on government subsidies and their impacts on sustainable development. In cooperation with a growing international network of research and media partners, the GSI seeks to lay bare just what good or harm public subsidies are doing and to encourage public debate and awareness of the options that are available for reform.  IISD’s Trade Knowledge Network (TKN) is assisting with this call for proposals by reaching out to its partner organizations. TKN is a global collaboration of research institutions working on issues of trade, investment and sustainable development.

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Stuck in reverse: recommendations on a long-term solution to a broken-down automobile industry

March 4, 2009 | Peter Wooders , Oshani Perera
The dramatic decline in the demand for cars has been a signature effect of the global economic crisis. Faced with a massive drop in sales - for example, 29 per cent  in the case of Toyota and 49 per cent across the General Motors brands - the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain,  and more recently, South Korea, Brazil, Japan and China have concluded that government bail-outs are both justifiable and necessary for the health of their auto sectors.

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Commentary: Revealing the high cost of energy subsidies: an interview with Trevor Morgan

September 1, 2008
Trevor Morgan is the principal author of the UNEP report released last month on energy subsidies and climate change, titled “Reforming Energy Subsidies: Opportunities to Contribute to the Climate Change Agenda”. He recently re-joined the International Energy Agency (IEA), having previously founded the independent energy-consulting firm, Menecon Consulting. The GSI reached Mr. Morgan at his office in Paris.

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Commentary: The Gallagher Review: False Solutions to a Real Problem

July 30, 2008 | Rob Bailey
Last month, Oxfam GB launched an emergency appeal for East Africa. Oxfam’s last call for emergency help for the region was in 2006, and there have been countless others before, precipitated by drought, conflict or, like now, both. But this time, something is different. There is food on shelves, but people can’t afford it.

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