Increasing the momentum of fossil-fuel subsidy reform

Increasing the momentum of fossil-fuel subsidy reform
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2010
Genre:
ISBN:

Although systemic, prompt and deep action on fossil-fuel subsidies by the WTO is not seen as a priority among its membership, especially in the face of the slow progress of the Doha Round negotiations and the current financial crisis, trade-related responses to climate change are increasingly seen as part of the future WTO agenda. [...] The low rates of notifications, the lateness in submitting reports and the problems with the accuracy and completeness of reported data have been attributed to one main shortcoming of the 10 Increasing the Momentum of Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform: A Roadmap for international cooperation transparency framework under the SCM Agreement. [...] In addition to the negotiations on fish subsidies, there have been some proposals to extend the existing disciplines of the SCM Agreement, namely by the United States and the EC. [...] A significant obstacle to bringing a complaint before the Dispute Settlement Body, or even in requesting consultations, is the burden of proof that is placed on the complaining member to demonstrate the existence and nature of the subsidy (Articles 4.2 and 7.1). [...] The United States proposed to expand the categories of prohibited subsidies and the EC proposed to improve members' abilities to address the adverse impacts of subsidies.

Fit for Purpose?: Toward trade rules that support fossil fuel subsidy reform and the clean energy transition

Fit for Purpose?: Toward trade rules that support fossil fuel subsidy reform and the clean energy transition
Author: van Asselt, Harro
Publisher: Nordic Council of Ministers
Total Pages: 60
Release: 2020-11-18
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9289368098

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/temanord2020-539/ Estimated at USD 478 billion in 2019, fossil fuel subsidies strain the public purse, contribute to climate change, slow the uptake of renewable energy, and lead to local air pollution and associated impacts on public health. Their reform could thus lead to a wide range of socioeconomic and environmental benefits. Despite its binding rules to regulate subsidies, the World Trade Organization (WTO) has so far failed to play any significant role in constraining government support to fossil fuels. Against this backdrop, this report explores whether WTO rules and practices are fit for purpose in addressing fossil fuels subsidies and supporting the clean energy transition, and how they could be reformed to more effectively contribute to these key objectives. It also offers practical recommendations for WTO members and other stakeholders interested in moving this agenda forward.

The Politics of Fossil Fuel Subsidies and Their Reform

The Politics of Fossil Fuel Subsidies and Their Reform
Author: Jakob Skovgaard
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 349
Release: 2018-08-23
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1108416799

This comprehensive volume provides the first book-length account on the politics of fossil fuel subsidies. This title is also available as Open Access.

Subsidy Reform in the Middle East and North Africa

Subsidy Reform in the Middle East and North Africa
Author: Mr.Carlo A Sdralevich
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 130
Release: 2014-07-09
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1498350437

In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries price subsidies are common, especially on food and fuels. However, these are neither well targeted nor cost effective as a social protection tool, often benefiting mainly the better off instead of the poor and vulnerable. This paper explores the challenges of replacing generalized price subsidies with more equitable social safety net instruments, including the short-term inflationary effects, and describes the features of successful subsidy reforms.

The Palgrave Handbook of the International Political Economy of Energy

The Palgrave Handbook of the International Political Economy of Energy
Author: Thijs Van de Graaf
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 755
Release: 2016-08-05
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1137556315

This Handbook is the first volume to analyse the International Political Economy, the who-gets-what-when-and-how, of global energy. Divided into five sections, it features 28 contributions that deal with energy institutions, trade, transitions, conflict and justice. The chapters span a wide range of energy technologies and markets - including oil and gas, biofuels, carbon capture and storage, nuclear, and electricity - and it cuts across the domestic-international divide. Long-standing issues in the IPE of energy such as the role of OPEC and the ‘resource curse’ are combined with emerging issues such as fossil fuel subsidies and carbon markets. IPE perspectives are interwoven with insights from studies on governance, transitions, security, and political ecology. The Handbook serves as a potent reminder that energy systems are as inherently political and economic as they are technical or technological, and demonstrates that the field of IPE has much to offer to studies of the changing world of energy.