News

Reforming Energy Subsidies and Helping the Poor
December 04 2014

Countries around the world are finding that energy subsidies pose a threat to their economic, environmental and fiscal health. Despite originally being designed to help the poor and middle class, in most cases the benefits of energy subsidies have largely gone to higher income earners. 

 

A new ESMAP facility is now available to help countries reform their energy subsidies and put in place social protection measures to help the poor during this transition.  The $20 million Energy Subsidy Reform Technical Assistance and Delivery Facilityis already supporting World Bank engagements in a number of regions. Support available through the facility includes assessments of the social, economic, environmental and political impact of subsidies; support for consensus building through policy dialogue, consultations and communications strategies; design of subsidy reform approaches, transition plans, subsidy delivery mechanisms, and social protection measures; and support to governments throughout the process of implementation.

 

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