The Covid-19 pandemic has plunged much of the world into recession, but the spectre of climate change and environmental degradation still hangs over the future. There is an urgent need for action. This session will explore how the WTO and various trade measures can contribute to ensuring that coming out of the pandemic. We must do more than build back, we must build back better.

The session will specifically discuss trade measures that can contribute to the reduction of carbon emission globally. This either by addressing the problem of unpriced emissions (e.g. Border Carbon Adjustment) or by lowering costs for the diffusion of green technologies through removing barriers. It will discuss which instruments that might be most efficient to reduce emissions without hampering the ability to reach the SDG’s. The session will then turn to reflect on how the WTO could facilitate ways forward and if plurilateral or multilateral negotiations would be realistic alternatives and discuss how countries should view unilateral initiatives.

Key Questions:

1. Which trade policy instruments have the greatest potential to achieve actual emission reductions in the near future?
2. Should unilateral/plurilateral trade policy initiatives that can reduce emissions be supported when multilateral negotiations are at a standstill? If so, how?
3. What is the role of the WTO, and what format of negotiations would best facilitate progress?

In the second portion of the session, the floor will open for a moderated audience discussion guided by the question:

What is the most important thing the trade policy community can do to help achieving the Paris agreement targets?

Continue the conversation in the dedicated chat on the Beyond Trade Network.

This session will be simultaneously translated into French, Spanish and English (when needed) via the Interactio application, by entering the code GTW2020 (please use headphones). Open the application in your Web browser or download it for iOS Mobile App or for Android App.