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Subsidies are pervasive throughout OECD countries and worldwide. Every year, OECD countries transfer at least USD 400 billion to different economic sectors. Much of this support is potentially environmentally harmful.

Reforming environmentally harmful subsidies is a significant policy challenge facing OECD countries. However, untangling and assessing the effects of subsidies on the environment is a complex task. A systematic approach is required to ensure that appropriate policies are developed and the benefits of reform fully realised.

This report presents sectoral analyses on agriculture, fisheries, water, energy and transport. It proposes a checklist approach to identifying and assessing environmentally harmful subsidies. It also identifies the key tensions and conflicts that are likely to influence subsidy policy making. Can the political and economic impediments to subsidy reform be overcome? This book concludes with a discussion of politically feasible subsidy reform strategies. 

The  Environmentally Harmful Subsidies: Challenges for Reform is available from:

• SourceOECD for subscribing institutions and many libraries
• OECD Online Bookshop for non-subscribers -- Did you know you can browse the book online via our online bookshop?
• OLISnet, under "Publication Locator", for government officials with accounts  (subscribe)
• Password-protected web site for accredited journalists