GLOBAL SUBSIDIES INITIATIVE

• About the GSI

Alajuela, Costa Rica

On 27-29 March, in Alajuela, Costa Rica, the GSI held its second Regional Media Forum, in partnership with the INCAE School of Business and the Inter Press Service Latin America. Some 15 journalists from across Latin America were briefed on the role that subsidies have played as the primary instrument in promoting the biofuels sector. Spanning three full days, the Forum featured sessions by leading experts in Latin America, presentations by representatives from industry, civil society and government, and advice from top journalists in the region.

Presentations:

El auge de los biocombustibles y la sostenibilidad: el caso de los subsidios y el papel del comercio
This presentation by Alberto Trejos, a professor at INCAE, examines the biofuels industry from an international perspective, and how the international trade in biofuels is influenced by tariffs and subsidies.

Biocombustibles: Solucion o Problema
This presentation by Pavel Molina, a professor at INCAE, provides an overview of the biofuels industry in Latin America, including where the industry has been beneficial or harmful to economic development.

Más Allá del Sector Energético: Subsidios y una Economía Sustentable
This presentation by Maria Onestini, Director of the Centro de Estudios Ambientales (CEDEA), looks at subsidies from a sustainable development perspective, and draws some examples of where subsidies have run counter to sustainable development objectives.

Periodismo de Investigación y Desarrollo Sustentable
This presentation by Diana Cariboni, IPS Regional Editor for Latin America, provides advice and insight into investigative journalism on sustainable development issues.