With global energy markets reeling from geopolitical chaos, Indonesia’s USD 4.7 billion liquid petroleum gas subsidy is no longer just a fiscal burden but a severe economic vulnerability. In this blog (which was published as an Op-Ed for Jakarta Post), TPP Director Neil McCulloch argues that the government must finally grasp the nettle of subsidy reform.

As part of the webinar series looking at different aspects of the energy transition from a political economy perspective, the ENERGIA international network on gender and sustainable energy hosted the third webinar on development partners' changed political priorities regarding gender and social inclusion (GESI) and the strategies that practitioners have used to embed GESI within national energy institutions. 

As part of the webinar series looking at different aspects of the energy transition from a political economy perspective, the International Institute for Sustainable Development hosted the second webinar looking at why carbon pricing remains so politically difficult and what kinds of strategies have been most effective in different contexts. 

The Policy Practice, in partnership with the Thinking and Working Politically Community of Practice, ODI Global, the International Institute for Sustainable Development and ENERGIA, the international network on gender and sustainable energy, organised a webinar series looking at different aspects of the energy transition from a political economy perspective. 

The first webinar, on the Political Economy of Country Platforms, was was held on 15 January and hosted by ODI Global. This blog by Tim Kelsall, ODI Senior Research Fellow, summarises the key messages from the fishbowl discussion. 

This Working Paper, written by TPP Principal Wilfred Mwamba, calls for a major shift in how international actors support governance. It shows reforms only endure when domestic reformers lead, urging partners to drop “performance theatre” and back genuine, locally led, politically grounded change.

This Working Paper by TPP Principal Niki Palmer explores why environmental defenders in Brazil’s Amazon face persistent violence. It shows how powerful economic interests and competing ideas about the Amazon fuel conflict and impunity. It outlines three realistic pathways to strengthen protections, shift incentives toward conservation and reduce violence.

In collaboration with the Thinking and Working Politically Community of Practice, and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, TPP Director Laure-Hélène Piron has prepared a guidance note setting out options for context analysis (political economy analysis, conflict analysis, institutional reviews, etc). It provides advice to make sure the analysis is politically informed and influential with decision makers.  

In Part 3: Arguments for international climate action, TPP Director Neil McCulloch shows how this new approach would change international cooperation on climate action.

In Part 2 of TPP Director Neil McCulloch’s blog, he considers what a new narrative for climate action must look like to be politically successful.