Peter Wooders is IISD's Group Director, Energy.
Based in Geneva, he has 20 years’ experience across the energy sector, with a particular specialization in electricity generation. Peter’s skills include the ability to analyze complex problems: he has developed a range of computer models including a suite of carbon market simulations covering both the EU and Kyoto systems. Peter currently contributes to various IISD’s programmes, including Trade & Climate Change, notably Border Carbon Adjustment and the GHG impacts of possible Environmental Goods & Services agreements; Global Subsidies Initiative (fossil fuels and bio-fuels); Post-2012 Architecture of GHG Agreements; Carbon Markets and Climate Change Adaptation.Initially trained as an engineer, Peter first worked in technology research with British Gas. He then spent 15 years as an Energy & Environment consultant, working on issues from energy efficiency in Hungary to the cost-benefit analysis of clean air policies in Egypt to the economics of nuclear waste disposition in the UK. His clients have included the World Bank, EBRD, various European Commission departments and a wide range of private sector companies.
All Publications
- World Leaders Must Play Their Part in Rethinking Trade so It Can Help Us “Build Back Better”
Blog - July 28, 2020
While the question of who will lead the WTO is important, political leaders must also renew their commitment to working together if trade is to contribute to a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient world. - Energy Policy Tracker
Interactive - July 14, 2020
Are we building back better? Every Wednesday, our experts provide new analysis of support for fossil fuels and clean energy. - How COVID-19 Could Impact the Clean Energy Transition
Blog - April 29, 2020
Peter Wooders and Ivetta Gerasimchuk met virtually to discuss the impact that COVID-19 could have on the clean energy transition, from renewables to fossil fuel subsidies. - A Long and Winding Road: COP 25 end notes
Blog - December 17, 2019
If there is one word to sum up what turned out to be the longest Conference of Parties (COP) in UNFCCC history, it’s arguably “frustration.” Now that COP 25 has wrapped, it’s worth looking back at what was—and wasn’t—achieved. - Raising Ambition Through Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform: Greenhouse gas emissions results modelling from 26 countries
Report - July 7, 2019
This working paper models 26 countries and finds national average emission reductions of 6 per cent from the removal of fossil fuel subsidies. For every tonne of CO2e removed through FFSR, governments save an average of USD 93. Global emission reductions from reforms are between 6.4 and 8.2 per cent by 2050. Countries can consider the carbon reduction co-benefits from FFSR and taxation within second-generation Nationally Determined Contributions. - Energy Efficiency and Subsidy Reform: A virtuous circle
- June 11, 2019
Energy challenges are similar across the world. Fortunately, so are the solutions. In many cases, subsidy reform and energy efficiency are closely linked and mutually supportive. - What We Can Measure, We Can Manage: Methodology for global fossil fuel subsidy reporting launched
Blog - May 27, 2019
A new report provides the first internationally agreed upon methodology to help countries increase transparency on fossil fuel subsidies. - Measuring Fossil Fuel Subsidies in the Context of the Sustainable Development Goals
Report - May 23, 2019
This report provides methodological guidance for measuring fossil fuel subsidies in the context of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 12.c.1: “Amount of fossil fuel subsidies per unit of GDP (production and consumption)”. - Improving and Refocusing Electricity Subsidies: Options for optimization in Mexico
Report - December 19, 2018
IISD is proud to partner with CONECC German-Mexican Energy Partnership on this report which identifies and evaluates options for reforming Mexico’s electricity subsidies. - Gender-Responsive Climate Action
Commentary - June 8, 2018
What does gender-responsive climate action look like? Expert commentary on achieving gender-responsive climate action through women’s empowerment, inclusive policy-making and other innovative practices. - Better Datasets Urgently Needed To Understand Full Scale of Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Blog - February 16, 2018
Nature magazine recently released a letter detailing how fossil fuel subsidies reform could deliver carbon emission reductions of between 1 and 4 per cent globally by 2030. This is what we think... - A Guidebook to Reviews of Fossil Fuel Subsidies: From self-reports to peer learning
Guidebook - September 11, 2017
This guidebook provides a step-by-step approach to government reviews of fossil fuel subsidies. The guidebook covers the design of reviews, identification, measurement and evaluation of subsidies, via country case studies and practical tools, as a first step towards transparency and reform. - Can Trade Help Deliver the Paris Agreement? Lessons learned from the G20
Blog - July 19, 2017
This year’s G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, saw long and heated discussion on the urgency of delivering the Paris Agreement. - Making the International Trade System Work for Climate Change: Five Ways to Address Fossil Fuel Subsidies through the WTO and International Trade Agreements
Blog - June 20, 2017
Can the international trade system be a catalyst for reforming fossil fuel subsidies (FFSs) to help relieve the burden on the public purse, reduce local and global air pollution, improve energy security and tackle climate change? - UK is in no position to lecture Saudis on oil dependence
Blog - April 10, 2017
PM Theresa May has offered to help wean Saudi Arabia off oil, but her government’s subsidies to North Sea producers are a poor model for the Middle East petrostate. - Supporting Energy Pricing Reform and Carbon Pricing Policies Through Crediting
Report - May 17, 2016
This study examines the role that policy crediting might play in increasing the mitigation impact of energy pricing reform and carbon pricing policies. - Fuel Subsidies in Nigeria: There are better ways to help the poor (and the economy and the environment)
Blog - July 23, 2015
The downturn in oil prices over the past year has hit Nigeria’s public budget hard. When money is tight, it seems obvious that governments should first phase out programmes that are expensive and have low benefit to their intended beneficiaries. - Impact of fossil fuel subsidies on renewable electricity generation (webinar)
Video - December 15, 2014
This presentation from the Global Subsidies Initiative will explore in more detail the impact that fossil fuel subsidies have on renewable... - A Financially Sustainable Power Sector: Developing assessment methodologies
Paper - May 3, 2014
This paper explores the concept of financial sustainability and proposes a framework to analyze electricity sectors based on this model.The concept... - Untangling the Subsidies Knot: A Panel Discussion of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform
Video - March 18, 2014
By some estimates, Canadian governments spend as much as $2.6 billion annually on fossil fuel subsidies. Reforming these subsidies may have merit... - Prioritizing Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform in the UNFCCC Process: Recommendations for short-term actions
Paper - August 17, 2013
Though many Parties to the UNFCCC have noted the climate change mitigation benefits of fossil-fuel subsidy reform, it is time for Parties to take... - A Guidebook to Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform for Policy-Makers in Southeast Asia
Paper - May 30, 2013
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for fossil-fuel subsidy reform—but there are a set of planning stages that are generic, along with many... - The Cost of Carbon Pricing: Competitiveness implications for the mining and metals industry
Paper - May 17, 2013
This report, commissioned by the International Council for Mining and Metals (ICMM), assesses how best to develop carbon pricing policies that... - Competitiveness Implications for Mining and Metals
Paper - May 17, 2013
This paper, commissioned by the International Council on Mining and Metals, is an initial step in scoping out the links between carbon pricing... - Exposure of Chinese Exports to Border Carbon Adjustments
Paper - January 9, 2013
China is one of the world's largest carbon emitters and is its largest exporter, and thus must be included in any discussion of border carbon... - Energy Intensive Industries: Decision making for a low-carbon future - The case of steel
Paper - December 19, 2012
Steel remains a ubiquitous product that is fundamental to the world economy. Greenhouse gas emissions from steel are projected to increase globally... - A Guide for the Concerned: Guidance on the elaboration and implementation of border carbon adjustment
Paper - November 22, 2012
When governments take strong unilateral action on climate change, they will always consider border carbon adjustment (BCA) as a means to deal with... - Reforming Fossil-Fuel Subsidies to Reduce Waste and Limit CO2 Emissions while Protecting the Poor
Paper - November 6, 2012
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies are estimated to have spent at least US$105 billion subsidizing fossil-fuel consumption in 2010... - Energy Intensive Industries: Decision making for a low-carbon future - The case of cement
Paper - October 5, 2012
The cement industry is a major source of CO2 emissions, accounting for about 5 per cent of anthropogenic CO2 emissions.Securing reductions in these... - India's Fuel Subsidies: Policy recommendations for reform
Paper - September 6, 2012
This policy brief summarizes two research papers on fossil-fuel subsidy reform in India and highlights the key policy recommendations.The... - India's Fuel Subsidies: Q & A
Paper - August 21, 2012
This factsheet provides key facts about India's fuel subsidies and a summary of policy recommendations for reform.The Government of India spent... - A Citizens' Guide to Energy Subsidies in Nigeria
Paper - August 17, 2012
Most people in Nigeria see fuel subsidies as their share of wealth from the country's oil reserves.However, evidence suggests that the subsidies... - Indonesia's Fuel Subsidies: Action plan for reform
Paper - May 2, 2012
Indonesia spent IDR164.7 trillion (US$18.1 billion) subsidizing fuel products in 2011, of which IDR76.5 trillion (US$8.4 billion) was spent... - Subsidies or Incentives? Norway's support for upstream oil and gas. Seminar Summary
Paper - March 14, 2012
The paper summarizes the key messages of the GSI seminar Subsidies or Incentives? Norway's support for upstream oil and gas held in Oslo, Norway,... - Renewables Readiness Assessment Country Case Study: Senegal
Paper - February 17, 2012
Working with the International Renewable Agency (IRENA), IISD has developed a methodology to enable countries to assess their readiness for... - Renewables Readiness Assessment Country Case Study: Mozambique
Paper - February 17, 2012
Working with the International Renewable Agency (IRENA), IISD has developed a methodology to enable countries to assess their readiness for... - Biofuels - At What Cost? Mandating ethanol and biodiesel consumption in the United Kingdom
Paper - February 3, 2012
The U.K. government is currently considering what policies will ensure it meets the European Union's Renewable Energy Directive (RED) commitment of... - TRI-CC Conference - Peter Wooders (2011)
Video - November 23, 2011
Wooders notes that cement and steel are two of the most vulnerable sectors in terms of competitiveness impacts, and delves into their unique... - Subsidies and External Costs in Electric Power Generation: A comparative review of estimates
Paper - September 16, 2011
This review highlights the paucity of consistent information and data on subsidies to electricity generation. It also highlights the... - Subsidies to Liquid Transport Fuels: A comparative review of estimates
Paper - September 16, 2011
This review highlights the paucity of consistent information and data on subsidies to biofuels and conventional transport fuels. It also... - Border Carbon Adjustments: What Risk for South African Exporters?
Paper - August 31, 2011
This policy brief, based on a longer analysis prepared by the IISD for South African Renewable Initiative, estimates the costs that would be borne... - A high-impact initiative for Rio+20: A pledge to phase out fossil-fuel subsidies
Paper - August 19, 2011
While negotiating time is running short, the IISD believes that Rio+20—the next UN Conference on Sustainable Development, 4-6 June 2012—can be a... - Exposure Of Chinese Exports To Potential Border Carbon Adjustments
Paper - July 5, 2011
As growth in trade continues to outstrip growth in GDP, attention has been directed to the CO2 emissions that are embedded in traded goods and the... - Hearing on RIO+20
Video - June 3, 2011
IISD recommends Rio+20 should focus on a few, high-impact initiatives at European Parliament Public Hearing ... - Exploding the myths of sectoral approaches (and renaming them sectoral approaches, agreements and measures)
Paper - May 18, 2011
There is a wide range of understandings of what sectoral approaches (SAs) are, and many different claims of what they could achieve have been made... - International sectoral approaches and agreements: case studies of the steel sector in China, India and Japan—Emerging Policy Recommendations
Paper - May 18, 2011
Steel is an essential sector if we are to control global CO2 emissions. Both the negotiating process and the proposals being made require further... - A sectoral approach, agreement and mechanism (SAAM) for the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in Japan's iron and steel industry
Paper - May 13, 2011
This report outlines a sectoral approach, agreement and mechanism (SAAM) for the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in Japan's iron and steel... - Towards a Green Economy: Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication - Enabling Conditions Supporting the Transition to a Global Green Economy
Book - April 5, 2011
United Nations Environment Programme's Green Economy Initiative, in collaboration with economists and experts worldwide, compiled the book: ... - A How-to Guide: Measuring subsidies to fossil-fuel producers
Paper - August 5, 2010
The production of fossil fuels-oil, coal and gas-is subsidized by countries around the world. The Global Subsidies Initiative estimates that these subsidies are likely to be at least $100 billion per year. Learn more about the process of finding the necessary data and applying methodologies. - Increasing the Momentum of Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform: A Roadmap for international cooperation
Paper - July 6, 2010
The practice of subsidizing fossil fuels is increasingly recognized as being incompatible with efforts needed to address climate change and to move... - Defining Fossil-Fuel Subsidies for the G-20: Which Approach is Best?
Paper - April 1, 2010
In September 2009, leaders of the Group of Twenty (G-20) largest industrialized and developing economies made a groundbreaking commitment to reform... - The Role of Sectoral Approaches and Agreements: Focus on the Steel Sector in China and India - Full Report and Executive Summary
Paper - March 4, 2010
Sectoral approaches and agreements may offer good options for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions in certain sectors of the economy. In the... - Building Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform: Have we got all the blocks?
Paper - December 15, 2009
Over the last three months of 2009, calls for the phasing out of fossil-fuel subsidies by the G-20 and others have garnered widespread support. Now... - Clean Energy Investment in Developing Countries: Wind power in Egypt
Paper - December 7, 2009
Wind power development in Egypt has many points in its favour: Egypt's wind resource is one of the best in the world; there is ample land available... - Options for Policy-Makers: Addressing Competitiveness, Leakage and Climate Change
Paper - December 5, 2009
This paper presents the options policy-makers have when addressing competitiveness and leakage relating to the mitigation of climate change. The... - Greenhouse Gas Emission Impacts of Liberalizing Trade in Environmental Goods
Paper - December 2, 2009
The environmental goods and services liberalization talks in the Doha Round of trade negotiations aim to lower or eliminate tariff and non-tariff... - Border Carbon Adjustment and Free Allowances: Responding to Competitiveness and Leakage Concerns
Paper - November 10, 2009
Competitiveness and leakage concerns arise when countries implement climate change policies and measures (PAMs) that other countries do not, or... - State of the Carbon Market: How the future market can encourage developing country participation
Paper - August 18, 2009
Mitigation and adaptation will require major finance and investment, with estimates of hundreds of billions of dollars per year. Carbon markets... - Encouraging Developing Country Participation in a Future Climate Change Regime
Paper - July 16, 2009
This paper explores how major developing economies might become effectively engaged in a post-2012 climate change regime. The paper sets out a... - International Carbon Market Mechanisms in a Post-2012 Climate Change Agreement
Paper - July 8, 2009
This background paper provides an overview of the role and profile of international carbon market mechanisms in a new international post-2012... - The Financial Crisis and Our Response to Climate Change
Commentary - November 28, 2008
In this commentary, IISD President and CEO David Runnalls looks at the challenge of addressing climate change in light of the current economic...