Much of the global economy depends on large scale government intervention in the form of subsidies, many of which are "perverse" in that they damage economies and environments. This study offers a view of subsidies world-wide with focus on the extent, causes and consequences of perverse subsidies.

He defines many different kinds of subsidies, from tax incentives to government handouts, and considers their wide-ranging impacts, as he: - examines the role of subsidies in policymaking - quantifies the direct costs of perverse subsidies - examines the major subsidies in agriculture, energy, road transportation, water, fisheries, and forestry - considers the environmental effects of those subsidies - offers policy advice and specific recommendations for eliminating harmful subsidies The book provides a valuable framework for evaluation of perverse subsidies, and offers a dramatic illustration of the scale and dimensions of the problem. It will be the standard reference on those subsidies for government reform advocates, policy analysts, and environmentalists, as well as for scholars and students interested in the interactions between policymaking and environmental issues.