Patterns of energy production and use threaten the stability of
eco-systems and the health and well-being of current and future
generations. Still, energy subsidies worldwide amount to around USD
300.000 billion per year, or around 0.7 per cent of GDP.
Inappropriate subsidies contribute to widespread overfishing and to the distortion of trade in fisheries products. Current negotiations in the World Trade organization aim to address this problem through binding new subsidies rules. Meanwhile, many governments are working to reform their domestic fisheries subsidies programmes. But some fisheries subsidies will undoubtedly continue to be used for years to come. In this context, a knowledge of the policies and practices that can reduce the risks associated with these subsidies is critically important.
Tracking energy subsidies for a single country is a challenging task; trying to measure them globally is even more so. Multi-country studies of fossil fuel studies have been done, and normally use a price gap measure. This approach compares the world price of the energy commodity with a transport-adjusted world reference price at which fuels could be brought in to a country. While the price gap provides many useful insights on energy subsidy trends, these estimates form a lower-bound for total support.
Updated regularly. Relies on data reported by members; not verified. Clean coal spending often missing from coal totals.
Kym Anderson and Warwick McKibbin. Brookings Institution, Discussion Papers in International Economics, November 1997.
(Working Paper). Miles Light, University of Colorado. Final version published in Energy Policy, V. 20, No. 4, pp. 117-148, 1999. Final draft available only through publisher.
World Energy Outlook 1999, International Energy Agency. CHINA, RUSSIA, INDIA, INDONESIA, IRAN, SOUTH AFRICA, VENEZUELA, KAZAKHSTAN.
Matthew Saunders and Karen Schneider. Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics. AUSTRALIA, CANADA, UNITED STATES, JAPAN, EUROPEAN UNION, FORMER SOVIET UNION, EASTERN EUROPE, CHINA, INDONESIA, KOREA, THAILAND, INDIA, SOUTH AFRICA, MIDDLE EAST, MEXICO, ARGENTINA.
(Word Document). Doug Koplow, Dale Andrew, Jean Marc Burniaux, and Erkki Adorian. OECD, Joint Working Party on Trade and Environment, September 2001. Also available in French.