Difference between revisions of "Transparency as Precondition for Reforming Subsidies"

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'''<font face="TradeGothic-Bold" size="4"><font face="TradeGothic-Bold" size="4"></font></font><font face="TradeGothic" size="2"><font face="TradeGothic" size="2"></font></font><font face="TradeGothic" size="1"><font face="TradeGothic" size="1">4</font></font><font face="TradeGothic" size="2"><font face="TradeGothic" size="2">Publicizing information on subsidies</font></font>
 
  
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= Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) =
  
Transparency as a foundation for reform
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'''Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) - "The Effects of Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform: A review of modelling and empirical studies"'''
  
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The Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) releases the publication of Jennifer Ellis’ paper “The Effects of Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform: A review of modelling and empirical studies.” This is the second paper to be published in the series Untold Billions: Fossil-fuel subsidies, their impacts and the path to reform. Subsidies are powerful instruments and when granted to fossil fuels, which are at the heart of all modern economies, subsidies have impacts throughout the economy, society and environment. Understanding the complex trade-offs between the different impacts of subsidy reform is a challenge for any government considering phasing out fossil-fuel subsidies. In this report, Jennifer Ellis provides a detailed literature review, focusing on the six modeling studies in the last 20 years that have attempted to analyze global impacts of subsidies for all fuels. The studies mostly considered effects on greenhouse gas emissions and gross domestic product, but very little of the work has considered other environmental impacts or social impacts. The paper highlights a number of areas where further research should be undertaken but concludes that there is already enough evidence to demonstrate the significant environmental and economic benefits of phasing out fossil-fuel subsidies, and recommends that policy-makers do not delay in beginning the reform process.
  
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-> Download at: [http://www.globalsubsidies.org/en/research/economic-social-and-environmental-effects http://www.globalsubsidies.org/en/research/economic-social-and-environmental-effects]&lt;/span&gt;
  
Transparency can influence reform in at least four ways (Hale, 2008):
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= EARTH TRACK =
  
1. by institutionalizing public discourse: the act of disclosure starts a dialogue between the discloser and
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'''EARTH TRACK: EIA Energy Subsidy Estimates: A Review of Assumptions and Omissions'''
  
interested parties;
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This Review provides a detailed look at gaps in federal tracking of energy subsidies in the United States. In addition to evaluating the research approach used by the US '''Energy Information Administration (EIA)''', the Review assesses how key assumptions and omissions in EIA's work resulted in a substantial undercounting of federal energy subsidies and an inaccurate portrayal of subsidy distribution across fuels. EIA estimates are also placed in the context of other assessments of domestic energy subsidies conducted over the past thirty years.
  
2. by compelling actors to tell the truth, making it difficult for discourse to be manipulated by one “loud,”
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-> Read more:[http://earthtrack.net/files/uploaded_files/EIA subsidy review final_17Mar10.pdf http://earthtrack.net/files/uploaded_files/EIA subsidy review final_17Mar10.pdf]
  
deceitful actor;
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= IMF Note - Petroleum Product [[Subsidies|Subsidies]] =
  
3. by cutting through the flood of information and often contradictory claims to focus attention on facts;
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'''IMF Note - Petroleum Product Subsidies: Costly, Inequitable, and Rising'''
  
and
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-> Read more: [http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/spn/2010/spn1005.pdf http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/spn/2010/spn1005.pdf]
  
4. by promoting self-reflection within the organization or government, compelling actors to comply with
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[http://www.globalsubsidies.org/files/assets/transparency_ffs.pdf -> Gaining Traction: The importance of transparency in accelerating the reform of fossil-fuel subsidies]”
  
their own standards and norms.
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<br/>
  
In considering the extent to which improving transparency could assist reform, the key consideration appears
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= References<br/> =
  
to be one of ensuring its relevance. For transparency to be useful, information users and providers must desire
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<references />
  
disclosure of the information and see how such transparency can help meet their objectives.
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[[Category:Financing_and_Funding]]
 
 
Improved information about fossil-fuel subsidies, in particular, can help governments meet their reform
 
 
 
objectives. At the simplest level, information about the subsidy and its effects facilitates an assessment of its
 
 
 
costs and benefits and, therefore, of the implications of reform. Making this information publicly available
 
 
 
increases awareness of the effects of existing policies and allows public input to decision-making (Wolfe and
 
 
 
Helmer, 2007).
 
 
 
Many governments understand the economic, social and environmental problems created by subsidies, but
 
 
 
are under political pressure to maintain them. Transparency can expose those winners and losers created by
 
 
 
subsidies and therefore help to broaden support for reform (Victor, 2009).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
can lead to pressure from other industries seeking to level the playing field between competing sectors.
 
 
 
[[Category:Financing, promotion schemes and subsidies]]
 

Latest revision as of 10:10, 11 July 2014

Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI)

Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) - "The Effects of Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform: A review of modelling and empirical studies"

The Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) releases the publication of Jennifer Ellis’ paper “The Effects of Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform: A review of modelling and empirical studies.” This is the second paper to be published in the series Untold Billions: Fossil-fuel subsidies, their impacts and the path to reform. Subsidies are powerful instruments and when granted to fossil fuels, which are at the heart of all modern economies, subsidies have impacts throughout the economy, society and environment. Understanding the complex trade-offs between the different impacts of subsidy reform is a challenge for any government considering phasing out fossil-fuel subsidies. In this report, Jennifer Ellis provides a detailed literature review, focusing on the six modeling studies in the last 20 years that have attempted to analyze global impacts of subsidies for all fuels. The studies mostly considered effects on greenhouse gas emissions and gross domestic product, but very little of the work has considered other environmental impacts or social impacts. The paper highlights a number of areas where further research should be undertaken but concludes that there is already enough evidence to demonstrate the significant environmental and economic benefits of phasing out fossil-fuel subsidies, and recommends that policy-makers do not delay in beginning the reform process.

-> Download at: http://www.globalsubsidies.org/en/research/economic-social-and-environmental-effects</span>

EARTH TRACK

EARTH TRACK: EIA Energy Subsidy Estimates: A Review of Assumptions and Omissions

This Review provides a detailed look at gaps in federal tracking of energy subsidies in the United States. In addition to evaluating the research approach used by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), the Review assesses how key assumptions and omissions in EIA's work resulted in a substantial undercounting of federal energy subsidies and an inaccurate portrayal of subsidy distribution across fuels. EIA estimates are also placed in the context of other assessments of domestic energy subsidies conducted over the past thirty years.

-> Read more:subsidy review final_17Mar10.pdf http://earthtrack.net/files/uploaded_files/EIA subsidy review final_17Mar10.pdf

IMF Note - Petroleum Product Subsidies

IMF Note - Petroleum Product Subsidies: Costly, Inequitable, and Rising

-> Read more: http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/spn/2010/spn1005.pdf

-> Gaining Traction: The importance of transparency in accelerating the reform of fossil-fuel subsidies


References