Stakeholder Priorities for a Forward-Looking WTO Agenda on Environmental Sustainability and Trade

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As governments grapple with Covid-19 responses and recovery, how can international trade cooperation help drive the economic transformation — and just transition — needed to address urgent environmental crises and risks, achieve the world’s environmental goals, and foster economic resilience?  How can we harness multilateral cooperation on trade and trade policy to advance more environmentally sustainable production and consumption?

During the WTO Trade and Environment Week, a diverse group of WTO Members will present a statement on Trade and Environmental Sustainability, launching open, structured discussions that aim to provide an opportunity for governments and stakeholders alike to re-engage and deepen action-oriented dialogue.

In response, this roundtable will draw together a diversity of stakeholders to respond to the statement and share their views on priorities and options for a  proactive, inclusive and forward-looking WTO agenda on environmental sustainability and trade that helps advance progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Hear from a sample of experts from the many IGOs, NGOs, business organisations and research centres from both developed and developing countries keen to contribute to this conversation. 

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Opening and closing remarks

Anja von Moltke, Head, Environment & Trade Hub, UNEP
 

Opening remarks

Carlos Vanderloo, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Canada to the WTO (4 minutes)

Interventions from

• Mohamed Abdisalam, Head of Environment Sustainability, African Union Development Agency, NEPAD

• Vanessa Erogbogbo, Chief, Sustainable and Inclusive Value Chains, International Trade Centre

• David Vivas Eugui, Legal Officer, Trade, Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Branch, UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

• Lily Sommer, Trade Policy Expert, Africa Trade Policy Centre, UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)

• Elisabeth Tuerk, Director, Economic Cooperation & Trade, UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

• Mia Mikić, Director, Trade, Investment, and Innovation Division, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)

• Johan Mulder, Chief, International Trade Unit, International Trade and Integration Division, UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC)

• Crispin Conroy, Representative Director, International Chamber of Commerce, Geneva

• Posh Pandey, Chairman, South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics & Environment (SAWTEE)

• Åsa Persson, Research Director and Deputy Director, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)

• Angela Francis, Chief Advisor, Economics and Economic Development, WWF-UK

• Vera Thorensten, Head, Center on Global Trade and Investment, Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV)

• Manuel Ruiz, Legal Advisor, Peruvian Society for Environmental Law (SPDA)

• Céline Charveriat, Executive Director, Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP)

• Rashid Kaukab, Executive Director, CUTS International Geneva

• Geneviève Pons, Director-General, Europe - Jacques Delors

• Vicente Yu, Senior Legal Advisor, Third World Network

• Jan Yves Remy, Deputy Director, Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services, University of West Indies

• Aditi Sara Verghese, Policy Lead, International Trade and Investment, World Economic Forum

Moderator: Carolyn Deere Birkbeck, Senior Researcher, Graduate Institute and Associate Fellow, Hoffmann Centre for Sustainable Resource Economy, Chatham House