This report summarizes the findings of a review aimed at understanding emerging approaches to energy subsidy reform, discerning trends, and identifying major strands of thinking and research in the field, as reflected in major policy and academic journals relevant to the subject. The review was initiated in early 2020 as …
The recent surge in world food prices is already creating havoc in poor countries, and worse is to come. Food riots are spreading across Africa, though many are unreported in the international press. Moreover, the surge in wheat, maize and rice prices seen on commodities markets have not yet fully …
In anticipation of a global summit on the food crisis, the United Nations called on world leaders on Wednesday to agree to urgent measures to ease demand for grains and alleviate high food prices. The report, by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, suggests that countries might …
BEIJING: China, India and other nations that subsidize gasoline and diesel prices may be even less willing to raise prices than they were six months ago, aiding crude's ascent toward $130 even as demand deteriorates elsewhere. While Indonesia appears set to raise prices this month, the world's fastest-growing oil users …
The US Congress has approved a new US$307 billion farm with majorities large enough to override President George W. Bush's veto. The legislation largely continues the current system of agricultural subsidies for the next five years.
The Doha negotiations on fisheries provide a significant opportunity to address overcapacity and overfishing. However, to be effective, future subsidy disciplines need to be coupled with stronger fishery management regimes, including in both public and private access agreements.
WTO Members disagreed in April on the extent to which future multilateral rules on fisheries subsidies should include exceptions for payments to the small-scale fishing sector, as Canada and some other developed countries sought controversial exemptions for their own industry.
Although wind energy is a rapidly growing technology its use remains geographically concentrated, with more than 75 percent of global installed capacity found in just five countries. These countries, and others wishing to develop wind energy have implemented various supportive policies covering areas as diverse as tariffs, technical R&D;, administrative …
In the wake of reports of widespread misuse of the Transport Subsidy Scheme, the Planning Commission is evaluating the scheme afresh. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has clarified today, that it has not released Transport Subsidy Scheme during the current financial year. This fiscal, only Rs 1 crore has …
In reply to a question in Lok Sabha on April 21, 2008, the Food and Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar admitted that while a total of 102.8 million ration cards against BPL (below poverty line) people were issued, there were actually in the country only 65.2 million BPL families. It means …
Following soaring fuel prices in the international market, the Guinean government has suspended its long-used subsidies on diesel and petrol. The government had used the subsidies to quell tensions over rising cost of living. The price of a litre of petrol has risen by more than 60 per cent. "The …
Inflation is going through the roof but if you are poor and a resident of Andhra Pradesh, you are not likely to feel the pinch. It's not because of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's ability to rein in prices, but because of his penchant for unabashed electoral populism. The relaunch …
Dubai: In a renewed effort to achieve a global trade deal under Doha Round of multilateral talks, trade ministers of India and the US will meet next week to bridge differences on farm subsidies and opening markets for industrial and agricultural products. "I am meeting USTR (Susan Schwab) on May …
In Tanzania, millions of people seek treatment for malaria through the private sector. But most cannot afford effective medicines. Now a pilot study is testing whether a drug subsidy scheme could help these patients, with some positive preliminary results.
While customers at restaurants in New York City will soon be able to count the calories of their meals in an attempt to curb the obesity epidemic, people in New Delhi are currently counting their grains of rice. From Bolivia to Yemen, people around the world are taking to the …
Americans are in sticker-shock over grocery prices, while people in developing countries are rioting over food shortages. And across the heartland, American farmers are enjoying record incomes, but losing sleep over rising expenses and turbulence in the commodity futures markets. Here on Capitol Hill, though, it is pretty much farm …
As Union commerce minister Kamal Nath studies India's negotiation dockets in preparation for a mid-May World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial meet in Geneva, a sort of last-ditch attempt to strike a Doha Round deal before a change of US leadership, some voices have emerged in favour of softening the country's …
Egypt is to review its food subsidy system as it seeks ways to tackle rising inflation, which reached 14.2 per cent in March. Youssef Boutros-Ghali, finance minister, told the Financial Times that the government would look to raise additional revenues through new taxes or increasing existing taxes. However, he said …
No need for alarm; but some Chinese ring bells anyway "WITH grain in our hands there is no need to panic,' according to China's prime minister, Wen Jiabao. But officials worry about how to keep China near self-sufficiency in grain and sheltered from rising world prices. Mr Wen's remarks during …
Urgent action to help the world's poorest farmers help themselves would make a significant contribution to tackling the global food crisis in a single growing season, according to Jeffrey Sachs, United Nations development adviser. "In much of the poorest parts of the world, the potential for significant increases in food …
