Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper examines the challenges of fragmentation in trade-related climate measures (TrCMs) and proposes "interoperability" as a mechanism to reduce regulatory burdens on supply chain participants, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, without requiring full harmonization of policy objectives.

This research paper proposes 'transition compacts'—negotiated, sector-specific packages bundling trade disciplines, investment, technology transfer, and transition timelines—as a more equitable alternative to the current patchwork of unilateral green industrial policies and carbon border adjustments. The author argues that existing frameworks, including the WTO and Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs), suffer from structural flaws or a lack of binding equity provisions, whereas transition compacts would link market access to verified emissions performance and binding support for developing nations.

This statement argues that Africa must reclaim its development policy space within a fragmented global trading system to ensure the green transition enables industrialization rather than reinforcing historical patterns of extraction and unequal exchange.

This briefing argues that 'imperfect agreements'—instruments that are incomplete, transitional, or not fully formal—can be effective tools for promoting trade and sustainable development when multilateral consensus at the WTO is stalled. The author suggests that flexible, member-driven arrangements, such as targeted trade deals and soft law commitments, can generate state practice and serve as stepping stones toward formal legal codification and WTO reform.

The authors propose a WTO-compatible 'climate club' designed to overcome the free-rider problem of the Paris Climate Agreement by using reciprocal commitments, substantial penalties, and financial incentives to drive global net-zero emissions by 2050.

The report argues that the convergence of trade and climate policy is creating systemic gaps that marginalize developing countries. It highlights the mismatch between WTO rules and climate objectives, the lack of a unified governance space between the WTO and UNFCCC, and a scarcity of granular data on distributional impacts. To ensure a just transition, the authors advocate for a multilateral agenda that prioritizes development, differentiation, and the treatment of green technologies as global public goods.

The research paper argues for a binding international agreement on fossil fuel subsidies within the WTO framework to address global negative externalities and climate change. It proposes using the Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) as a model, specifically highlighting the Standardized Carbon Rate Measurement (SCRM) as a way to move beyond definitional debates. The authors suggest that successful subsidy reduction must be linked to a state's capacity to transition to green energy and may require WTO waivers on local content requirements to support renewable energy transitions.

This statement from the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs urges WTO ministers attending the Fourteenth Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, to prioritize sustainable development and environmental action within the WTO reform agenda. The document argues that the WTO must move beyond geopolitical tensions to address climate change, nature loss, and pollution, leveraging existing member-led initiatives and the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies to foster international cooperation.

A statement from a coalition of business, civil society, and research stakeholders urging ministers at the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) to place sustainable development at the center of the World Trade Organization's reform agenda.

This research paper examines the evolving landscape of critical minerals diplomacy, arguing that current multilateral trade rules are insufficient to balance the economic security needs of consuming nations with the industrialization goals of resource-rich developing countries. The author analyzes the rise of non-binding sectoral partnerships and plurilateral initiatives led by developed nations, warning that these may reinforce power asymmetries. The paper proposes utilizing the World Trade Organization (WTO) or regional groupings as more neutral platforms to establish a rules-based system that supports sustainable sourcing and domestic value addition in producer economies.

This policy brief proposes a trade-aware Just Transition framework for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to manage the shift toward low-carbon, climate-resilient development. It argues that for the Caribbean, the transition is a structural regional transformation rather than a sector-specific phase-out of fossil fuels. The document outlines six guiding principles—social justice, effective governance, inclusive participation, economic resilience, alignment with climate goals, and green financing—and applies them to both at-risk sectors (energy, tourism, agriculture, forestry, transport) and growth sectors (blue economy, circular economy, orange economy).

This document is an introductory overview and table of contents for a compilation of 34 expert articles commissioned by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS). The collection, published between November 2024 and December 2025 on the Synergies platform, explores how the international trading system can be leveraged to address the climate crisis, support climate-resilient development, and facilitate just transitions in alignment with Paris climate goals.

This statement by Daudi Sumba of WWF International argues that international trade policy and cooperation are critical levers for addressing the climate crisis and biodiversity loss. It calls for a strategic rethink of the international trading system to prioritize nature and sustainable development, specifically highlighting the need to eliminate environmentally harmful subsidies and align trade strategies with net-zero and nature-positive goals.

This report, curated by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS), is a compilation of 34 expert views exploring how the international trading system can support the Paris Agreement and climate-resilient development. It identifies critical synergies and tensions at the nexus of trade, climate, and sustainable development, focusing on clean energy transitions, green industrial policies, and the specific vulnerabilities of developing nations.

This research paper argues that African nations must transition from fragmented national negotiations to a coordinated regional approach to trade diplomacy regarding green critical minerals. By leveraging the Africa Green Minerals Strategy (AGMS), the authors suggest that the continent can move beyond raw material extraction toward green industrialization and value addition, utilizing a collective negotiating framework to increase leverage against competing global powers.

Ambassador André Aranha Corrêa do Lago, COP30 President-Designate, announced the creation of the Integrated Forum on Climate Change and Trade during the WTO Public Forum on 17 September 2025. This flagship initiative aims to bridge the gap between climate and trade regimes by providing a non-binding, interdisciplinary space for government officials and experts to design solutions for a sustainable global economy.

This briefing note outlines the need for enhanced international cooperation at the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding trade-related measures with climate objectives, focusing on coherence, transparency, development, and interoperability.

This briefing note by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) examines the need for international cooperation on trade-related climate measures (trade-climate measures) within the World Trade Organization (WTO). It identifies a fragmented landscape of national and regional policies that create trade barriers and disadvantage developing countries. The document proposes a framework for cooperation across four levels: general principles of international law, regulatory processes and practices, specific design features, and technical aspects such as carbon accounting interoperability.

This briefing note by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) examines the 'twin transition'—the simultaneous pursuit of digital and green transformations. It analyzes how digital technologies can both enable climate action and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, focusing on the implications for developing countries and the pathways toward a net-zero digital economy by 2050.

This research paper examines the intersection of the evolving international trading system and the urgent need to address biodiversity loss, climate change, and sustainable development. It argues that while trade has historically contributed to environmental harm, it can be repurposed as a strategic tool for sustainability through new narratives, inclusive international cooperation, and coherent policy frameworks. The author identifies a shift from traditional trade liberalization toward 'multipurpose' approaches that balance security, resilience, and sustainability, and proposes a policy agenda to reorient trade rules, scale up sustainable technologies, and ensure equitable economic transformation for developing countries.