Environment, Climate, and Sustainable Development at MC13: A Review of Ministerial Declarations, Decisions, and Statements

The report provides a comprehensive compilation of excerpts from the WTO's Thirteenth Ministerial Conference (MC13), focusing on the intersection of global trade with environmental sustainability, climate change, and the UN 2030 Agenda. It highlights a strong collective push to finalize the second phase of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies to combat overcapacity and overfishing, while revealing a significant divide between developed and developing nations regarding unilateral environmental trade measures and the need for special and differential treatment (SDT).

• WTO members emphasized the role of the multilateral trading system in achieving the UN 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals, specifically highlighting the three pillars of sustainable development: economic, social, and environmental.
• There is widespread urgency among members to conclude the second phase of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies to address overcapacity and overfishing (OCOF) and fulfill SDG target 14.6.
• Developing countries, Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) strongly advocate for Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) in fisheries agreements, arguing they are not the primary contributors to overcapacity and overfishing.
• Many developing nations expressed concern that unilateral trade-related environmental measures adopted by some members act as disguised restrictions to trade or non-tariff barriers.
• Members called for the revitalization of the Committee on Trade and Environment and the use of structured discussions, such as the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD), to find policy solutions for climate mitigation and adaptation.
• The document identifies a need to integrate climate change adaptation and mitigation policies specifically into the trade policies of small economies.
• Several members highlighted the necessity of technology transfer and financial support to help LDCs and developing countries adapt to the climate crisis.
• Some members specifically called for the reform of agricultural trade rules under Article 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture to address food security and environmental protection.

APA

James, E., Bhola, V., & Birkbeck, C. D. (2024). Environment, Climate, and Sustainable Development at MC13: A Review of Ministerial Declarations, Decisions, and Statements. Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs. https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Publications/WTO-Members-on-the-Environment-at-MC13_A-Review.pdf?dm=1713875895

Chicago

James, Eugene, Vinati Bhola, and Carolyn Deere Birkbeck. Environment, Climate, and Sustainable Development at MC13: A Review of Ministerial Declarations, Decisions, and Statements. Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs, 2024. https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Publications/WTO-Members-on-the-Environment-at-MC13_A-Review.pdf?dm=1713875895.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=James |first1=Eugene |last2=Bhola |first2=Vinati |last3=Birkbeck |first3=Carolyn Deere |title=Environment, Climate, and Sustainable Development at MC13: A Review of Ministerial Declarations, Decisions, and Statements |publisher=Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs |date=April 2024 |url=https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Publications/WTO-Members-on-the-Environment-at-MC13_A-Review.pdf?dm=1713875895 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{james2024environment, author = {James, Eugene and Bhola, Vinati and Birkbeck, Carolyn Deere}, title = {{Environment, Climate, and Sustainable Development at MC13: A Review of Ministerial Declarations, Decisions, and Statements}}, institution = {Forum on Trade, Environment, \& the SDGs}, year = {2024}, month = apr, url = {https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Publications/WTO-Members-on-the-Environment-at-MC13_A-Review.pdf?dm=1713875895}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }