Studying industrialised countries they find that renewable energy and well-functioning political institutions increase the likelihood of reform. Renewable energy can break the the lock-in of fossil fuel subsidies, especially when the level of democracy is high and the political processes is insulated from fossil fuel interests.
Authors: Nils Droste, Benjamin Chatterton & Jakob Skovgaard
Title: A political economy theory of fossil fuel subsidy reforms in OECD countries
Link to the article in Nature Communications: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49835-4