Fuel Prices
Based on our international survey of mid-November 2012, we are pleased to draw your attention to our publication ‘International Fuel Prices 2012-13 – Data Preview’. The document provides an overview of retail prices of gasoline and diesel in 170 countries.
The 2010/2011 International Fuel Prices report provides an overview of the retail prices of gasoline and diesel in over 170 countries. This report further explores recent trends and case studies on fuel prices and fuel pricing policies in developing countries (with an additional chapter dedicated to the Arab World) and provides access to numerous additional resources. The current edition is based on our survey in mid-November 2010 and provides a snapshot based on the crude oil price level of USD 81 per barrel.
On May 26, UNEP and Statistics Sweden hosted a workshop on energy subsidies and statistics in Geneva. Armin Wagner presented GTZ's approach in surveying and assessing international fuel prices. The presentation highlighted the need to rationalise fuel price adjustment mechanisms and to provide more transparency on how taxes/levies on transport fuels are used.
The world market prices for crude oil rocketed last year (November 2006 to November 2007) – rising by about 40% in euros, and by around 57% in dollars. How did selected partner countries respond? In November 2007, GTZ conducted a short study of current fuel prices in 17 capital cities in sub- Saharan Africa. In addition to price rises, mechanisms and policy approaches were highlighted.
During the Better Air Quality Workshop in Bangkok in November 2008, Armin Wagner presented on 'Fuel taxation as an economic instrument to tackle climate change'. The presentation highligthed the need to introduce more rationale and transparent fuel pricing mechanisms in order to make fuel taxes a strong economic instrument. More information on the session "Use of Taxation and other Financial Instruments for Sustainable Urban Transport" are available here:
The current phase of sharply declining crude oil and petroleum product prices offers an opportunity for a critical investigation of the absolute level of pump prices for fuel and the nature and manner of adjustment of the price level. This includes the opportunity to move from ad hoc pricing towards formula-based automatic pricing at relatively low political cost. The same applies to the elimination of direct and indirect subsidies which should continue in parallel, and to the imposition of (possibly earmarked) tax on fuel. The discussion paper provides an overview of forms of fuel pricing in the transport sector.
GTZ releases a data preview of the "GTZ International Fuel Prices" publication. This document provides an overview of retail prices of gasoline and diesel in more than 170 countries based on our survey in mid-November 2008.
GTZ Energising Development (EnDev) has conducted an expert's report on susbsidies, focussing on energy access. EnDev has reached more than 5 million people directly with new and sustainable access to a form of modern energy services until the end of 2008. We have learned that a sound combination of direct incentives and flexible market development services (indirect subsidies) is key for success, although further and massive up-scaling will challenge policy makers and practitioners in the future.
The report discusses the rationale and performance of energy subsidies, proposes a new tool for subsidy evaluation and design and applies this tool to the analysis of prominent subsidy schemes.
Our work is open for discussion and we would appreciate your suggestions.
In 2008, substantial price increases for transport fuels led in many countries to a greater interest of the wider public in the question how domestic fuel prices are set, how they are composed and which global and national factors are determining the price of fuel on local level.
In this context and as part of our ongoing work on international fuel prices, we continue to collect information on available online resources. This document provides links to sources on petrol and diesel prices, other fuels and electricity prices in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The failure to increase prices for fossil fuels in Bolivia is an important case study of reform strategies for countries with low prices and ad-hoc pricing measures. Everything that could go wrong, went wrong in the implementation of the price hike in Bolivia in December 2010. This is a classic example for the extreme consequences of ad hoc price setting mechanisms. Our paper provides attached a brief evaluation of the failed reform attempt in Bolivia from our perspective.
The 2010/11 edition of GIZ “International Fuel Prices” provides an overview of retail prices of gasoline and diesel in more than 170 countries.
In light of recent international developments, notably the G-20’s commitments to phase out inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption, reform of fossil-fuel subsidies has come into the spotlight. No subsidy reform, however, can take place without a reform of the pricing mechanism.
In this context, Arab countries can be noted for their heavy subsidization of fossil fuels. Also ad hoc pricing of petroleum products is dominant there. With the exception of a few countries, it is also a region, where the least action has been made in recent years to tackle the subject. Reforms are small and subject to fallbacks.
This working paper contributes to the ongoing discussion by sketching the Arab countries’ current pricing mechanisms, the rationale behind this system of consumer subsidies and ad hoc pricing, the inevitable need for reform, and eventual attempts to draw pathways for reform.
InternationalFuel Prices 2009 – Full Edition The 2009 International Fuel Prices report provides an overview of the retail pricesof gasoline and diesel in more than 170 countries, discusses pricing policies,presents case studies on the impact of high and volatile fuel prices in2007/2008 in developing countries and provides access to numerous additionalresources. (114 pages, over 450 graphs and figures).
