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New guidance note on designing credible fossil fuel subsidy phase-out plans

guidance note on designing credible fossil fuel subsidy phase-out plans, illustration.

In a new guidance note published with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), an international think tank, Jakob Skovgaard together with Jonas Kuehl and Mario Cavolo of the IISD outline how governments can design credible plans to phase out fossil fuel subsidies.

Despite sixteen years of international commitments, global fossil fuel subsidies have continued to grow and reached USD 1.7 trillion in 2022 – roughly equivalent to Spain’s GDP. One factor behind this trend is that existing commitments are broad and do not sufficiently account for national contexts.

The guidance note presents a three-step framework for governments:

  1. Identify and prioritize which subsidies to address first
  2. Articulate clear reform strategies
  3. Ensure lasting implementation

A credible phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies is critical for global climate efforts. It also frees public resources for alternative priorities such as health, education and social protection.

Link to the guidance note: https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-11/fossil-fuel-subsidy-phase-out-plans.pdf

Jakob Skovgaard - Lund University

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