United Nations Environment Programme
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Conference
UNEP at 7th BioTrade Congress: Global governance for trade and biodiversity
25 - 26 March 2024
Geneva, Switzerland
- Overview
- Schedule
The BioTrade Congress will take place on 25 and 26 March 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland at the Palais des Nations (Room XVII), co-organized by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and partners. The Congress is a global gathering of trade and biodiversity experts and practitioners for a high-level exchange on key links between trade and biodiversity.
The 7th BioTrade Congress will discuss “Global Governance for Trade and Biodiversity” with the aim to propose policy recommendations and actions from government, business and civil society on how trade and trade policy can accelerate implementation of The Biodiversity Plan. The Congress will also feature exchanges and case studies on the biodiversity and socio-economic impact generated through the trade of biodiversity-based products, including BioTrade.
UNEP's Environment and Trade will be at the 7th BioTrade Congress to present outcomes from its extensive work at the nexus of trade and biodiversity. UNEP will present key highlights from its partnership in the UKRI GCRF TRADE Hub project, outlining key insights from its global consultations on Nature-Positive Trade for Sustainable Agriculture Supply Chains.
Who's speaking
Beatriz FernandezAssociate Programme Mangement Officer, UN Environment Programme
Delphine Babin-PelliardSenior Liaison Specialist, Food Systems and Environment, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Liaison Office with the UN Office in Geneva
Jason ClayExecutive Director, Markets Institute, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - United States of America
Marianne KettunenSenior Policy Expert and Advisor, Trade, Development and the Environment Hub (TRADE Hub)
Sandra AvérousEconomic Officer, Trade and Environment, WTO, on secondment from UNEP
Ulla KaskCounsellor, Agricultural and Commodities Division, WTO
William SpellerProgramme Management Officer, The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB), UN Environment Programme
26 Mar 2024
Time & Place
Event Details
16:30
Palais des Nations (Room XVII)
Nature-positive trade for sustainable development: unlocking trade-related opportunities to support food systems
The declaration on sustainable agriculture, resilient food systems and climate action at the 28th Conference of Parties to the Climate Convention and Paris Agreement (COP28) in 2023 marks an important milestone in recognising the role agriculture and food systems – from activities involving production and processing to transport and consumption – play in mitigating and adapting to climate change. Signed by 159 countries, the declaration calls, inter alia, increasing efforts in conservation and restoration of land, ecosystems and biodiversity in order to maximise the ability of agriculture and food systems to deliver climate and environmental benefits. Shifting to sustainable production and consumption approaches is recognised central to achieving this.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) adopted in December 2022 is a key framework for countries to deliver towards above objectives, including with Target 10 of GBF calling for areas under agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry to be managed sustainably, Target 18 aiming to increase positive – and reduce negative – incentives for sustainable management, and Target 16 striving to encourage and enable sustainable consumption choices.
International trade plays an important role in shaping our agriculture and food systems, either by discouraging unsustainable or encouraging sustainable practices. However, trade-related policies and measures remain an underutilized area of action in delivering biodiversity objectives, including as a tool to implement the GBF across all its targets. Consequently, stepping up dialogue between biodiversity, trade, sustainable agriculture and food systems stakeholders is required to identify cross-sectoral opportunities that build on sustainable trade.
The aim of this session is to discuss how different trade and trade-related policies and measures could be used to deliver sustainable agriculture and food systems as part of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The session is part of the “Nature-positive trade for sustainable development” series of events (2022 – 2024), including the Trade and Biodiversity Series by UNCTAD and ITC (2022), CBD COP15 side event in Montreal (2022) by UNEP and UNCTAD, discussion on nature-positive trade at the WTO (2023) by UNEP, WTO, CBD and TESS and nature-positive webinar series (2023 – 2024) by the UKRI GCRF Trade, Development and the Environment Hub (TRADE Hub), UNEP, WTO, CBD, UNCTAD and ITC. They draw from UNEP policy paper (2023) “Nature-positive Trade for Sustainable Development” and also benefit from insights from regional consultations on nature-positive trade and sustainable agriculture led by UNEP in cooperation with UNCTAD and ICT in 2023.
The declaration on sustainable agriculture, resilient food systems and climate action at the 28th Conference of Parties to the Climate Convention and Paris Agreement (COP28) in 2023 marks an important milestone in recognising the role agriculture and food systems – from activities involving production and processing to transport and consumption – play in mitigating and adapting to climate change. Signed by 159 countries, the declaration calls, inter alia, increasing efforts in conservation and restoration of land, ecosystems and biodiversity in order to maximise the ability of agriculture and food systems to deliver climate and environmental benefits. Shifting to sustainable production and consumption approaches is recognised central to achieving this.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) adopted in December 2022 is a key framework for countries to deliver towards above objectives, including with Target 10 of GBF calling for areas under agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry to be managed sustainably, Target 18 aiming to increase positive – and reduce negative – incentives for sustainable management, and Target 16 striving to encourage and enable sustainable consumption choices.
International trade plays an important role in shaping our agriculture and food systems, either by discouraging unsustainable or encouraging sustainable practices. However, trade-related policies and measures remain an underutilized area of action in delivering biodiversity objectives, including as a tool to implement the GBF across all its targets. Consequently, stepping up dialogue between biodiversity, trade, sustainable agriculture and food systems stakeholders is required to identify cross-sectoral opportunities that build on sustainable trade.
The aim of this session is to discuss how different trade and trade-related policies and measures could be used to deliver sustainable agriculture and food systems as part of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The session is part of the “Nature-positive trade for sustainable development” series of events (2022 – 2024), including the Trade and Biodiversity Series by UNCTAD and ITC (2022), CBD COP15 side event in Montreal (2022) by UNEP and UNCTAD, discussion on nature-positive trade at the WTO (2023) by UNEP, WTO, CBD and TESS and nature-positive webinar series (2023 – 2024) by the UKRI GCRF Trade, Development and the Environment Hub (TRADE Hub), UNEP, WTO, CBD, UNCTAD and ITC. They draw from UNEP policy paper (2023) “Nature-positive Trade for Sustainable Development” and also benefit from insights from regional consultations on nature-positive trade and sustainable agriculture led by UNEP in cooperation with UNCTAD and ICT in 2023.
Beatriz Fernandez
Associate Programme Mangement Officer, UN Environment Programme
Marianne Kettunen
Senior Policy Expert and Advisor, Trade, Development and the Environment Hub (TRADE Hub)
Jason Clay
Executive Director, Markets Institute, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - United States of America
Delphine Babin-Pelliard
Senior Liaison Specialist, Food Systems and Environment, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Liaison Office with the UN Office in Geneva
Ulla Kask
Counsellor, Agricultural and Commodities Division, WTO
Sandra Avérous
Economic Officer, Trade and Environment, WTO, on secondment from UNEP
William Speller
Programme Management Officer, The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB), UN Environment Programme
