Aid for Trade Priorities on Plastic Pollution

The document argues that while Aid for Trade (AfT) is a vital tool for sustainable development, there is a significant mismatch between the low levels of development assistance for plastic pollution and the high financial flows to the petrochemical sector. It identifies specific capacity-building needs for developing countries—such as circular economy strategies, technology access, and regulatory frameworks—and proposes short- and medium-term deliverables for WTO members to integrate plastic pollution priorities into AfT work programmes.

• There is a stark disparity between the financial support provided to tackle plastic pollution and the funding directed toward the industries that produce it. State financial flows to the petrochemical sector were approximately $38 billion globally as of June 15, 2021, while ODA commitments specifically targeting plastic pollution were only $147 million in 2019.
• Developing and least developed countries have identified several critical trade-related capacity-building needs to combat plastic pollution, including the design of circular economy strategies, improved product classification, and the development of sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics.
• Current ODA for plastic pollution is heavily skewed toward the end of the plastic life cycle. A UNEP stocktaking survey (2018-2019) found that the largest share of financing (42%) went to technology and processes, while monitoring and analysis received the lowest share at 3%.
• The document proposes short-term deliverables for the IDP, including integrating plastic pollution priorities into the next AfT work programme, launching WTO Secretariat training on trade rules compatible with plastic pollution policies, and enhancing support for customs authorities on Harmonized System classifications.
• Medium-term recommendations include enhancing support for the Basel Convention's Plastic Waste Partnership, increasing UNCTAD's work on plastic substitutes and technology transfer, and calling for trade-related financing provisions in the upcoming international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.
• Beyond AfT, the author argues that a comprehensive package is needed for a just transition, including debt relief for SIDS and LDCs, climate-related finance to decarbonize industry, and social assistance for workers displaced from 'brown' sectors like plastics.
• The international trade of plastics is a massive economic sector, reaching over USD 1 trillion in 2019, which represents approximately 5% of total merchandise trade.

APA

Sugathan, M. (2022). Aid for Trade Priorities on Plastic Pollution. Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs. https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Publications/TESS-Policy-Brief-Aid-for-Trade-Priorities-on-Plastic-Pollution.pdf?dm=1678450935

Chicago

Sugathan, Mahesh. Aid for Trade Priorities on Plastic Pollution. Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs, 2022. https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Publications/TESS-Policy-Brief-Aid-for-Trade-Priorities-on-Plastic-Pollution.pdf?dm=1678450935.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sugathan |first1=Mahesh |title=Aid for Trade Priorities on Plastic Pollution |publisher=Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs |date=May 2022 |url=https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Publications/TESS-Policy-Brief-Aid-for-Trade-Priorities-on-Plastic-Pollution.pdf?dm=1678450935 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sugathan2022aid, author = {Sugathan, Mahesh}, title = {{Aid for Trade Priorities on Plastic Pollution}}, institution = {Forum on Trade, Environment, \& the SDGs}, year = {2022}, month = may, url = {https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Publications/TESS-Policy-Brief-Aid-for-Trade-Priorities-on-Plastic-Pollution.pdf?dm=1678450935}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }