We aim to strengthen the consideration of environmental issues in multilateral trade policymaking at the World Trade Organization (WTO) by supporting trade ministers of Members to lead joint environmental initiatives, strengthen dialogue and cooperation to make trade a positive force for the environment and include environmental sustainability as core agenda for WTO Aid for Trade Global Review. For this, we work with partners such as the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the International Trade Centre (ITC). At the same time, we seek to influence the agenda setting processes such as the G7 and G20 summits.
UNEP closely engaged with the WTO Ministerial statement launch: TESSD, IDP and FFSR
In December 2021 the World Trade Organization (WTO) members launched three Ministerial Statements on environmental sustainability, plastic pollution, and fossil fuel subsidies, covering like climate action, circular economy, sustainable supply chains, fossil fuel subsidy reform, and plastic pollution. The three statements originated from three member-led initiatives at the WTO: 1) Structured Discussions on Trade and Environment Sustainability (TESSD) supported by seventy-one members; 2) Informal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (IDP) supported by sixty-seven members; 3) Fossil Fuels Subsidies Reform discussions supported by forty-five members. While some WTO Members have cosponsored all three Ministerial Statement, others have joined only one of the statements. More than half of the 81 co-sponsors across the three statements are from developing countries.
The three statements contain no concrete or binding measures on members. Nevertheless, it is the first time in the WTO’s 26-year history that there has been a separate ministerial statement on environment issues beyond fisheries subsidies reform. The statements also show opportunities for cooperation and concrete actions to address the environmental impacts of trade, to identify ways to harness trade policies helping achieve climate and sustainability goals, and to make environmental sustainability a guiding principle of wider WTO reform. Each of the also initiatives seek to promote transparency and information sharing, and address capacity building needs, particularly for LDCs (Least Developed Countries).
Launch of the Forum on Trade Environment Sustainability and the SDGs
Launched in mid-2021, the Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS) is a partnership of the Graduate Institute and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), housed at the Geneva Trade Platform. TESS facilitates dialogue and action to align trade and trade policy with the urgent need for global action on the intersecting crises of climate, nature and pollution, informed by the need for progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and implementation of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). TESS supports the engagement of stakeholders alongside governments in its work, and works to promotes interaction between the trade, environment and sustainable development policy communities, including between Europe and the rest of the world.
Informal dialogues with developing country ambassadors
Developing countries have important opportunities to help shape the trade and environmental sustainability agenda. The UNEP Environment & Trade Hub co-hosted the first Informal Dialogue on Developing country priorities for Trade and Environment Sustainability with ITC and the Forum on Trade Environment Sustainability and the SDGs (TESS) in February 2021. Following this, the Dialogues have been regularly hosted in the run up to the TESSD meetings at the WTO. The purpose of these dialogues is to have informal discussions and exchange of views on opportunities for advancing developing country priorities on trade and environmental sustainability in the multilateral trade system in the run up to MC12 and beyond. It brings together close to 15 Geneva-based Permanent Representatives of developing countries that have expressed particular interest in contributing to discussion on this topic to identify priorities and elements for future discussion. Conversely, we also aim to influence the high-level environmental fora to increasingly consider sustainable trade as tool to achieve the global environmental goals enshrined in the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) like the Paris Agreement, the Convention of Biological Diversity, and the environmental dimensions of the 2030 Agenda.
Trade and MEAs
Over the past twenty years, an extraordinary number of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) have been negotiated and ratified. These agreements represent their signatories' aspirations, commitments, and obligations for protecting the global environment. Work in this area aims to enhance synergies and reduce potential conflicts between MEAs and trade rules; build confidence and trust between trade and environment officials to ensure the development of mutually supportive trade and environment policies; and maintain the existing balance of rights and obligations within MEAs to preserve opportunities for future environmental instruments to include trade-related measures. Previous work areas include a study on "Economic Instruments in Biodiversity-related MEAs" and the initiative of "Enhancing National Capacities to Assess Wildlife Trade Policies in Support of CITES". In addition, the recent publication on "CITES and the WTO: Enhancing Cooperation for Sustainable Development" illustrates how the relationship between the CITES and the WTO has evolved into a leading example of how global trade and environmental regimes can support each other work coherently to achieve shared objectives. Future work will focus on capacity building to strengthen MEA commitments through trade agreements.
Past work on Greening the multilateral trade agenda: Reforming harmful subsidies and Environmentally Sound Technologies.
