Statement of the Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS) OEWG multi-stakeholder dialogue on 1 June 2022

The Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS) highlights the critical role of international trade in the global plastics economy, noting that trade in plastics exceeds USD 1 trillion. TESS argues that current trade policies are often disjointed and can undermine national efforts to curb pollution. The statement urges the INC to foster international cooperation to reduce trade in problematic plastics, end the trade of contaminated waste, and improve data transparency regarding 'hidden' plastic flows. It emphasizes the need for a just transition for developing countries and synergy with existing frameworks like the Basel Convention and WTO dialogues.

• International trade is a primary driver of the plastics economy, with trade across the plastic life cycle valued at over USD 1 trillion, representing more than 5% of global trade. In 2019, over 250 million metric tonnes of plastic crossed international borders, and exports of primary plastics accounted for approximately 56% of global primary plastics production that year.
• Significant volumes of 'hidden' plastic trade are omitted from international statistics, including plastic packaging for food, beverages, B2B distribution, and plastics embedded in products like cars and appliances. TESS and UNCTAD estimate these hidden flows total at least 70 million metric tonnes annually.
• While governments are increasingly using trade measures to fight pollution—with over 140 environment-related trade measures notified to the WTO between 2009 and 2020—these efforts are often uncoordinated and disjointed. This incoherence can undermine national pollution goals and create challenges for companies with integrated international supply chains.
• TESS proposes several cooperative actions for the international treaty, including ending trade in contaminated plastic waste, reducing trade in problematic plastic materials, promoting non-plastic substitutes and refill systems, and implementing stronger regulations to prevent the loss of plastic pellets during shipping.
• The document recommends that the INC build synergies with existing international processes, specifically the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, the WTO's Informal Dialogue on Plastic Pollution, and work conducted by the World Customs Organization, UNCTAD, Interpol, and the OECD.

APA

Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (2022). Statement of the Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS) OEWG multi-stakeholder dialogue on 1 June 2022. https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Dialogues/Dialogue-Presentations/TESS-Statement-at-1-June-Multistakeholder-dialogue-on-Trade.pdf?dm=1679648508

Chicago

Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs. Statement of the Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS) OEWG multi-stakeholder dialogue on 1 June 2022. 2022. https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Dialogues/Dialogue-Presentations/TESS-Statement-at-1-June-Multistakeholder-dialogue-on-Trade.pdf?dm=1679648508.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs |title=Statement of the Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS) OEWG multi-stakeholder dialogue on 1 June 2022 |date=1 June 2022 |url=https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Dialogues/Dialogue-Presentations/TESS-Statement-at-1-June-Multistakeholder-dialogue-on-Trade.pdf?dm=1679648508 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{forumontradeenvironmentthesdgs2022statement, author = {{Forum on Trade, Environment, \& the SDGs}}, title = {{Statement of the Forum on Trade, Environment \& the SDGs (TESS) OEWG multi-stakeholder dialogue on 1 June 2022}}, publisher = {Forum on Trade, Environment, \& the SDGs}, year = {2022}, month = jun, url = {https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Dialogues/Dialogue-Presentations/TESS-Statement-at-1-June-Multistakeholder-dialogue-on-Trade.pdf?dm=1679648508}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }