Statement of the Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS) OEWG multi-stakeholder dialogue on 1 June 2022 Upscaling and redirecting finance, incentives and trade

The Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS) highlights that international trade in plastics exceeds USD 1 trillion, with significant 'hidden' trade flows (est. 70 million MT/year) omitted from statistics. While over 140 WTO-notified measures have been used to tackle pollution, TESS argues these are uncoordinated. They call for a global treaty to end trade in hazardous plastic waste, promote sustainable substitutes, and synchronize efforts across the WTO, OECD, and the Basel Convention.

• International trade is a primary driver of the global 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 (MT) of plastic—including primary plastics, consumer products, and waste—crossed international borders, with exports of primary plastics accounting for approximately 56% of global primary plastics production that year.
• Significant volumes of 'hidden' plastic trade are not captured by standard international trade classifications and statistics. This includes plastic embedded in products like cars and household appliances, B2B packaging, and pre-packaged food and beverages. A preliminary estimate by TESS and UNCTAD suggests these hidden flows add at least 70 million metric tonnes (MT) per year.
• Between 2009 and 2020, governments notified the WTO of more than 140 environment-related trade measures to combat plastic pollution, primarily driven by developing countries. These measures include import bans, restrictions, and tariffs on plastic products and waste. However, TESS notes that current trade policy approaches are often "disjointed, ad hoc, uncoordinated, and lack transparency," which can undermine national pollution goals and create challenges for companies with integrated international supply chains.
• TESS proposes several cooperative actions to align trade with plastic pollution reduction, including ending trade in contaminated, mixed, and hazardous plastic waste, and reducing trade in problematic or unnecessary plastic materials. They also suggest promoting trade in non-plastic substitutes, reuse and refill systems, and non-toxic recycled products, while implementing stronger regulations to prevent the loss of plastic pellets during international shipping.
• To support a transition to a less polluting plastics economy, TESS recommends that the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) build synergies with existing frameworks. This includes the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions (specifically the Basel Convention plastic waste amendments), as well as ongoing work at the WTO, 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 Upscaling and redirecting finance, incentives and trade. 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 Upscaling and redirecting finance, incentives and trade. 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 Upscaling and redirecting finance, incentives and trade |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 Upscaling and redirecting finance, incentives and trade}}, 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} }