On 25 September 2009, the Leaders of the G20, at their annual Summit (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA), issued a joint statement committing themselves to “Rationalize and phase out over the medium term inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption”. Over the next several years, the G20 members themselves conducted an exercise in self reporting of their fossil fuel subsidies and reform commitments. Those efforts achieved limited success, with variable degrees of transparency and levels of ambition. (See the two reports by Doug Koplow from November 2010 and June 2012.) By early 2012, however, the OECD had launched its Inventory of Estimated Budgetary Support and Tax Expenditures for Fossil Fuels, which provided far more details than were available in the G20 Members’ self reports. That the G20 should conduct voluntary peer reviews of their reform efforts was proposed by the OECD during Russia’s presidency of the G20, in 2013. The OECD had long and generally positive experiences with peer reviews, so it was a logical tool to recommend. The proposal was accepted and formally established in paragraph 94 of the G20 Leaders’ Declaration issued during their 2013 Summit (6 September 2013, St Petersburg, Russia): “We reaffirm our commitment to rationalise and phase […]
QUNO has agreed to act as a repository for the six peer reviews of the Group of Twenty (G20) Members’ efforts to reform their fossil fuel subsidies, as well as related documents. These reviews have been of value to QUNO’s research in the Sustainable and Just Economic Systems, and we are pleased to provide them a repository base. These peer reviews took place in 2016, 2017 and 2018 among pairs of G20 Members, and were organised by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation (OECD) in close co-operation with the economies under review and the participants in the review teams. All six reviews were chaired by Ronald Steenblik, at the time the OECD’s Special Counsellor for Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform, assisted by staff of the OECD’s Directorate for Trade and Agriculture (TAD), its Environment Directorate (ENV), and its Centre for Tax Policy and Administration (CTP). Ronald Steenblik now works on a pro-bono basis for QUNO’s Sustainable and Just Economic Systems (SJES) programme, where he serves as Senior Technical Advisor. These documents were previously posted on the OECD’s website but disappeared when the previous pages relating to the OECD’s work on government support for fossil fuels and efforts to reform them were replaced by […]
QUNO’s Sustainable and Just Economic Systems programme, in partnership with Eunomia Research & Consulting Ltd., has published the Phase 1 Report of their project titled Plastic Money: Turning Off the Subsidies Tap. This report represents a crucial step in uncovering the extensive subsidies received by the primary plastics polymer (PPP) production industry, a sector that plays a pivotal role in global plastic pollution. The report focuses on the subsidies provided to the most energy-intensive segment of the plastics production chain, from the processing of raw materials to the production of basic resins and their extrusion into plastic pellets. The study reveals that these subsidies are substantial, amounting to approximately USD 30 billion annually across the top 15 polymer-producing countries. This work is critical as it fills significant data gaps and provides a foundation for informed policy discussions at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution, which is tasked with developing a legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution. The findings highlight the urgent need for better transparency and tracking of subsidies at both national and international levels. Supported by Dalberg Catalyst through grant funding from The Rockefeller Foundation, this collaborative effort between QUNO and Eunomia serves as a vital […]
As part of its quiet diplomacy efforts, the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) in Geneva recently hosted 22 diplomats and other stakeholders to discuss strategies towards ending plastic pollution. QUNO’s quiet diplomacy entails dialogue facilitation and gathers relevant stakeholders for off-the-record conversations that seek solutions to either conflicts or ongoing challenges in our focus areas. This gathering was jointly hosted by QUNO’s programme on Sustainable and Just Economic Systems (SJES) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) — as seen in the photograph with this article — on 31 October 2023. Participants were from various national and international bodies and 12 attended in-person while 10 joined online. The atmosphere was dynamic and interactive as participants gathered at Quaker House under Chatham House Rules. This means they are all able to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of participants may be revealed, ensuring an open and honest dialogue. Participants focused mainly on the upcoming third meeting of the United Nations-led Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), which is working towards an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution, including the marine environment. The upcoming INC meeting — also known as INC-3 — is scheduled […]
Against the backdrop of Asia’s struggle with burgeoning plastic waste, the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) has published a new report that delves into the complex challenges and potential strategies for addressing this problem in the region. QUNO’s report, ‘Trade and Plastics — Fostering Sustainable Development in South East Asia’, was issued by its Sustainable and Just Economic Systems programme this month (November). It focuses on plastic pollution in Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam and highlights the pressing need for systemic changes. The report highlights the growing environmental threats and economic losses due to mismanaged waste. It also exposes the intricate interplay between trade policies and sustainable waste management practices. This critical study, conducted by experts from the University of Cambridge, transcends traditional discussions on plastic waste management. It underscores the urgent need to align strategies with the waste management hierarchy—emphasising reduction, reuse, and recycling—to combat the escalating crisis of plastic pollution and its socio-economic ramifications. This study is an essential call to action, urging the implementation of comprehensive policies that integrate waste hierarchy principles. It challenges the current linear economic model, stressing the importance of reducing plastic production, minimising single-use plastics, and promoting sustainable alternatives. Its authors navigate the […]
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