tess-statement-at-tessd-january-2024-1fdd16661c917ca3.pdf

The Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) issued a statement on 25 January 2024 regarding the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD). TESS advocates for transitioning TESSD from a diagnostic phase of presentations to an 'inclusive incubator' focused on concrete outcomes, collective action, and recommendations to be delivered by the WTO's 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14).

• TESS recommends that TESSD shift its operational approach from exploring issues via presentations to focusing on specific options for collective action and concrete results by MC14. The organization suggests TESSD act as an 'inclusive incubator of options for collaborative action' and a non-negotiating venue to address emerging issues or long-standing topics that have stalled.
• TESS proposes enhancing synergies between TESSD working groups by focusing on specific environmental challenges and the trade-related measures used to address them, such as subsidies, standards, and regulations. Specifically, TESS suggests incorporating clean energy access and transition for developing countries, and applying a sectoral focus to circularity (e.g., textiles and electronic appliances) and subsidies.
• TESS suggests that TESSD should complement and support the revitalization of the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE), as well as other bodies including the Committee on Trade and Development and the Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology.
• To ensure inclusivity, TESS recommends flexible meeting formats to better engage WTO members from developing countries, least developed countries, and small-island developing states. It also proposes a stock-taking exercise at the end of 2024 to adjust the initiative's scope and format after its first three years of work.
• TESS identifies the outcome document of the Working Group on Trade-related Climate Measures as a potential model for other groups. It suggests refining the best practices compiled in that document into guidance or recommendations for policymakers based on themes like transparency and development considerations.

APA

Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (n.d.). tess-statement-at-tessd-january-2024-1fdd16661c917ca3.pdf. https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Publications/TESS-Statement-at-TESSD-January-2024.pdf?dm=1707857725

Chicago

Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs. tess-statement-at-tessd-january-2024-1fdd16661c917ca3.pdf. n.d. https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Publications/TESS-Statement-at-TESSD-January-2024.pdf?dm=1707857725.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs |title=tess-statement-at-tessd-january-2024-1fdd16661c917ca3.pdf |url=https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Publications/TESS-Statement-at-TESSD-January-2024.pdf?dm=1707857725 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{forumontradeenvironmentthesdgsndtessstatementattessdjanuary20241fdd16661c917ca3pdf, author = {{Forum on Trade, Environment, \& the SDGs}}, title = {{tess-statement-at-tessd-january-2024-1fdd16661c917ca3.pdf}}, publisher = {Forum on Trade, Environment, \& the SDGs}, url = {https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Publications/TESS-Statement-at-TESSD-January-2024.pdf?dm=1707857725}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }