Energy Subsidy Reform (ESRx)

Source details

Session No.: OL 26.132
Course title: Energy Subsidy Reform
Delivery Method: Online Training
Location: Course conducted online
Date: May 1, 2026 - April 15, 2027 (50 weeks)
Primary Language: Arabic
Course offered in: English and Arabic
Presented jointly by the Institute for Capacity Development and the Fiscal Affairs, Middle East and Central Asia, and Asia and Pacific Departments

Some knowledge of economics would be helpful.
Basic Microsoft Excel skills required.
Access to a computer with a reliable Internet connection and a Google Chrome web browser is essential.

All government officials are welcome to register.
Particularly beneficial for officials in finance, economy, and planning ministries who provide advice on macroeconomic policies or implement policy.

The online course builds on extensive cross-country analysis and hands-on experience in design of technical assistance and subsidy reform to make recommendations on how best to reduce energy subsidies.
The course:
- Introduces the concept of energy subsidies — their definition and measurement.
- Reviews economic, social, and environmental implications of energy subsidies.
- Presents toolkits to assess distributional effects of alternative subsidy reform scenarios.
- Presents methodologies to design a fuel pricing mechanism.
- Reviews what works best in energy subsidy reform and illustrates successes and failures through particular country examples.

Use of an Excel-based toolkit to assess the effects of alternative energy subsidy reform scenarios on households in different income groups.
Design of fuel pricing mechanisms to mitigate fuel price volatility.
Design of subsidy reform strategies and policy responses to mitigate effects on inflation and household welfare.

Explain the concept of energy subsidies and estimate pre- and post-tax subsidies.
Define corrective energy taxes and explain how to calculate them.
Describe the economic, social, and environmental impact of energy subsidies.
Explain how to design robust subsidy reform strategies.
Design policy responses to mitigate the effects of subsidy reform on inflation and on household welfare.
Use an Excel-based toolkit to assess the effects of alternative energy subsidy reform scenarios on households in different income groups.
Design effective fuel pricing mechanisms to mitigate fuel price volatility.