Delivering for the Environment at MC12

The author identifies several key environmental priorities for the WTO's MC12, including a deal on fishery subsidies and the launch of member-led initiatives like the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD). The text emphasizes the need for inclusive cooperation that supports developing countries through financing and technical assistance to ensure a global green economy that does not leave the poorest behind.

• The primary environmental objective for Ministers at MC12 is to reach a balanced and meaningful agreement on fishery subsidies to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, as well as overcapacity and overfishing that deplete fish stocks and damage marine ecosystems.
• The Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD), launched in November 2020 by 53 WTO members and co-convened by Canada and Costa Rica, serves as an informal space to exchange views on the nexus of trade, environment, and sustainable development without binding members to new multilateral rules.
• Specific member-led initiatives are poised for action at MC12, including a ministerial statement on plastic pollution supported by over 65 members and a statement on fossil fuel subsidy reform supported by 43 members, including the US, UK, Japan, and the EU.
• A critical cross-cutting requirement for these initiatives is the provision of financing, capacity building, and technical assistance (Aid for Trade) to help climate-vulnerable and developing countries adapt production, meet environmental standards, and avoid a 'two-tier global economy'.

APA

Birkbeck, C. D. (2021). Delivering for the Environment at MC12. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/articles/mc12-prospects-enhance-trade-cooperation

Chicago

Birkbeck, Carolyn Deere. Delivering for the Environment at MC12. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2021. https://www.iisd.org/articles/mc12-prospects-enhance-trade-cooperation.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Birkbeck |first1=Carolyn Deere |title=Delivering for the Environment at MC12 |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=24 November 2021 |url=https://www.iisd.org/articles/mc12-prospects-enhance-trade-cooperation |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{birkbeck2021delivering, author = {Birkbeck, Carolyn Deere}, title = {{Delivering for the Environment at MC12}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2021}, month = nov, url = {https://www.iisd.org/articles/mc12-prospects-enhance-trade-cooperation}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }