Reducing Energy Subsidies in China,India and Russia: Dilemmas for Decision Makers

Sustainability

Grant Dansie²  Marc Lanteigne¹ 

[1] University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9AJ, Scotland, UK; E-Mail:;Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), PB 8159 Dep., 0033 Oslo, Norway; E-Mail:

关键词: energy subsidies;    politics;    China;    India;    Russia;   

DOI  :  10.3390/su2020475

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

This article examines and compares efforts to reduce energy subsidies in China, India and Russia. Despite dissimilarities in forms of governance, these three states have followed surprisingly similar patterns in reducing energy subsidies, characterised by two steps forward, one step back. Non-democratic governments and energy importers might be expected to be more likely to halt subsidies. In fact, the degree of democracy and status as net energy exporters or importers does not seem to significantly affect these countries’ capacity to reduce subsidies, as far as can be judged from the data in this article. Politicians in all three fear that taking unpopular decisions may provoke social unrest.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2010 by the authors; licensee Molecular Diversity Preservation International, Basel, Switzerland.