Baker Institute: End of the ‘Big Oil giveaway’ is underway in the Persian Gulf
04 May 2016
The old hypotheses that Persian Gulf energy subsidies were sacrosanct have been overturned, according to a new issue brief from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. In recent years, all six Gulf monarchies—Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain—have begun to challenge the notion that citizens are entitled to cheap energy.
They have raised prices on transportation fuel; three have increased prices on electricity and water in citizens’ homes; and electricity and water subsidies for businesses have been reduced in five of the six monarchies, the brief noted. Across the Gulf, Iran has taken similar steps.
“Energy Subsidy Reform in the Persian Gulf: The End of the Big Oil Giveaway” was co-authored by Jim Krane, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow for Energy Studies at the Baker Institute, and Shih Yu “Elsie” Hung, a research associate in the institute’s Center for Energy Studies. The paper presents a snapshot of the progress of subsidy reform in the Gulf, documenting policy changes in all six monarchies and briefly examining the role of energy and the state.
The authors said energy subsidies have long outlived their usefulness. Energy products such as electricity and gasoline have been distributed domestically at low prices that, in some cases, have been fixed since the era of oil nationalization in the 1970s. “Over time, government provision of cheap energy had the unintended consequence of encouraging high per-capita demand,” the authors wrote.
Policymakers hope higher energy prices can produce a number of helpful effects, the authors said. These effects include relieving pressure on government budgets at a time when oil and gas revenues are low; reducing domestic demand for oil and gas that can otherwise be exported; increasing the relative attractions of non-carbon sources of energy; and encouraging conservation and efficiency, which helps reduce carbon emissions and the energy intensity of the gross domestic product while increasing overall productivity.
Despite the reform pace, the still-cautious nature of these reforms demonstrates that the monarchies remain deferential to the wishes of their citizens, who have been shielded from the brunt of the reform, the authors said.
The middle-east is catching onto the Norway plan, i.e., Use renewables and EVs at home to keep your air clean and export the fossil fuels to the suckers who don't care about their people...that would include the U.S. where politicians declare themselves scientists.
Posted by: Lad | 04 May 2016 at 10:04 AM
Lets hope they keep it up and get the price of oil at least to (or near) the world price of oil.
They will find that they can get around just fine in a 1.6l car as a 3L.
There might be a bit of pain until they replace the large engined cars with more economical ones.
@Lad, they do not have the hydro resources of Norway to move to EVs (unless they use solar....)
Posted by: mahonj | 04 May 2016 at 11:08 AM
@Lad, I though the opening disclaimer of politicians who are global warming deniers was "I'm not a scientist, but..."
(You would think that proper policy would require listening to scientists, but apparently they don't offer campaign contributions along with the expert advice like the lobbyists do).
Posted by: electric-car-insider.com | 05 May 2016 at 07:31 AM
@ ecic:
....along with the expert advice like the lobbyists do).
Are you serious? What expert advice is to be expected from lobbyists apart from BS?
Posted by: yoatmon | 05 May 2016 at 08:53 AM