As governments and stakeholders work to develop policies that can promote the massive economic transformation that sustainability requires, there is increasing interest in the role that trade and trade policy can play. This effort has become even more urgent in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and calls to “build back better” through stimulus and recovery packages.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight trade as a key means of implementation, and many SDGs have trade dimensions. Progress on achieving the SDGs and their underlying targets has been slow, however, despite public pressure for increased action by governments to respond to urgent global crises in biodiversity, climate, and pollution, and to take action to “green” the global economy and trade.

The World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) “Aid for Trade Initiative” is one area where this discussion is developing quickly. As WTO Members review progress to date and prepare the Aid for Trade work program from 2022 onward, ensuring that these efforts incorporate sustainability considerations will be critical to ensuring a robust, green, and inclusive recovery.

The event will feature an introduction to a new joint publication (forthcoming) by IISD and TESS on Greening Aid for Trade. Presentations will be followed by a roundtable discussion. The webinar will be held on Zoom and registration is required.
 

Topics the webinar will address include:

• Priorities from the perspective of beneficiary countries and developing country stakeholders
• Trade-related aspects of environmental challenges facing developing countries in the context of the SDGs, combining social, economic, and environmental aspects
• How Aid for Trade can support opportunities for green trade and economic diversification and bolster climate-resilience and readiness
• Opportunities for synergies with other sources of environment, development and trade finance focused on green economy goals
• Research and data needs, and options for further discussion
• Opportunities for engagement by stakeholders

Confirmed Speakers:

• Soledad Leal Campos, Co-lead Sustainable Trade, IISD (moderator)
• Nathalie Bernasconi-Osterwalder, Executive Director, IISD Europe
• Carolyn Deere Birkbeck, Director, Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs

Discussants from government, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations will be announced closer to the date.