This report presents a model that analyses fossil fuel subsidy reform across 20 countries showing an average reduction in national GHG emissions of 11% by 2020, and average annual government savings of USD 93 per tonne of CO2 abated.

The $548 billion USD that is paid annually in fossil fuel subsidies around the world is preventing a crucial transition to renewable energy sources. This is according to a new report released from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).

The Chinese government has responded to the challenge of increasing energy consumption and environmental pollution with ambitious targets for renewable energy generation. In the 12th Five-Year Plan, running from 2011 to 2015, a target was introduced to generate 15 per cent of primary energy from renewable sources by 2015.

This paper explores the concept of financial sustainability and proposes a framework to analyze electricity sectors based on this model. The concept of financial sustainability includes the ability of the electricity sector to recover costs, meet demand, make investments and operate according to environmental and social norms.

This report evaluates the principal costs and benefits of the European Union’s biofuels industry, based on an assessment of best available information. Depending on the availability of data, some costs and benefits are quantified, while others have not been due to a lack of systematic or disaggregated information.

The debate on the costs and benefits of governments’ support to biofuels development has gained considerable momentum, especially in light of fiscal austerity measures and the “food versus fuel” debate associated with the impacts of biofuels expansion on agricultural markets.