ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
Subsidies — transfers of public money to
private interests— are so common that for
the most part they go unnoticed; they can also
be arcane and complex, posing tremendous challenges
for journalists. Yet, many experts believe that
subsidies are one of the most critical factors
in determining the sustainability of a government’s
economic, social and environmental policies. By
conservative estimates, over US$1 trillion is
spent annually on government subsidies worldwide.
That money has far reaching effects, going well
beyond the stated policy goals used to justify
the subsidy itself. This monthly IPS-GSI Subsidy
E-newsletter is designed to help journalists identify
ways in which subsidies crucially affect efforts
to achieve a more sustainable future.
Inter
Press Service
is a global news agency producing independent news and analysis about events and global processes affecting the economic, social and political development of peoples and nations, especially in the South. IPS is the news agency of Civil Society and the South, Development Issues, The Globalisation Process and of the People Excluded from It.
IPS’
Subsidy E-newsletter is produced in partnership
with the Global
Subsidies Initiative, a programme of the International
Institute for Sustainable Development. The
GSI is a research organisation that aims to improve
transparency and stimulate debate on reforming
government subsidies. In addition to its research
activities, the GSI has undertaken an ongoing
journalists’ capacity building programme
– offering grants, expertise and contacts
– and designed to support journalists worldwide
seeking to investigate government subsidies and
their impacts.
The GSI is embarking on a multi-year research effort that aims to better quantify the scope and scale of subsidies to fossil fuels, and the impact of these subsidies on the environment.
More
information
The Global Subsidies Initiative cooperates with
an international network of researchers working
on subsidy related issues. Journalists working
on stories that involve subsidies, and who are
in search of expertise, information and support
are invited to contact Javed Ahmad, the GSI’s
Director of Communications, at info@globalsubsidies.org.
Every month, the IPS-GSI Subsidy E-newsletter will focus on a specific theme through an analytical essay or interview with a leading expert in that field, highlighting the subsidy angle in an issue that journalists might cover regularly.
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