Centre Director Professor Karen Hussey was part of an eight-person team led by the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) contracted by the Pacific Community (SPC) to undertake the study: Towards Greener Taxes and Subsidies in Pacific Island Countries and Territories. The resultant report presents information found for Vanuatu, Fiji and Polynesia to scope existing policy instruments and reform efforts.
Nine economic sectors are addressed in the document: mining, fisheries, agriculture, transport, waste management, water management, urban development, tourism, and energy. The team provided examples of taxation and subsidies that have harmful or beneficial environmental impacts, and outlined the funding potential of tax and subsidy reforms.
This work is ongoing and will extend to other Pacific Islands and Territories in the future.