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A statement by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs calling for international organizations to collaborate on defining and reforming 'bad subsidies' to support a low-carbon circular economy and modernize WTO rules.

This policy brief by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) provides a comprehensive overview of the institutional entry points and governance processes within the World Trade Organization (WTO) where trade and environmental policies intersect. It details the roles of various WTO bodies, including the Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE), the dispute settlement mechanism, and the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM), while highlighting recent member-led initiatives on plastic pollution, fossil fuel subsidies, and environmental sustainability.

This research paper evaluates the outcomes of the Thirteenth WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13) regarding the intersection of climate and trade policy. The authors argue that while the conference was largely disappointing due to a lack of binding multilateral agreements and opposition from key members like India, there is still value in utilizing the WTO as a diplomatic forum to coordinate non-binding instruments and revitalize deliberative functions such as the Committee on Trade and Environment.

A statement by Marco Lambertini, Convenor of the Nature Positive Initiative, arguing for the integration of biodiversity and nature-positive goals into international trade policies, specifically through the World Trade Organization (WTO).

A statement by Ambassador Matthew Wilson of Barbados arguing for a fair and balanced fisheries subsidies agreement at the WTO's Thirteenth Ministerial Conference (MC13), emphasizing the critical role of small island developing states (SIDS) and the need for special and differential treatment to protect livelihoods and food security.

TESS issued a statement following the WTO Dialogue on Plastics Pollution (DPP) Plenary meeting on 26 January 2024, expressing support for the finalized ministerial statement for the Thirteenth WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13).

A statement from a coalition of 60 trade ministers arguing that the global trading system must move beyond 'business as usual' to meet Paris Agreement goals. The coalition advocates for breaking silos between trade, finance, and climate ministries to catalyze investment in sustainable trade, support climate-vulnerable nations, and accelerate the transition to clean energy.

This policy brief by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) examines options for international trade-related cooperation to address plastic pollution, specifically focusing on single-use plastics. It analyzes existing national legislative approaches, proposes criteria for identifying problematic plastics, and outlines pathways for collective action through the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the development of a global plastics treaty.

This policy brief examines the role of international cooperation on standards in the effort to end global plastic pollution, specifically in the context of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) and the WTO's Dialogue on Plastics Pollution (DPP).

This document is a transcript of keynote remarks delivered by Hon. Keisal Peters, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, on 14 September 2023. The speech outlines the disproportionate impact of the climate crisis on small-island developing states (SIDS) and proposes four key priorities for international cooperation to align global trade with sustainability and climate justice.

This policy paper maps the landscape of standards and initiatives related to plastic pollution to support international cooperation. It categorizes instruments into government regulations, voluntary multistakeholder standards, and non-governmental initiatives. The paper highlights the role of these standards in the ongoing negotiations for a global plastics treaty (INC) and the WTO Dialogue on Plastics Pollution (DPP), emphasizing the need for inclusiveness for developing countries and the identification of 'standards gaps' across the plastics life cycle.

This briefing note provides a preliminary review of global trade flows across the entire plastics life cycle, from feedstocks and chemical additives to finished products and waste, to inform international negotiations on plastic pollution.

This policy brief examines the relationship between international trade cooperation and climate mitigation and adaptation efforts in Latin America. It highlights the region's historically low emissions intensity and its commitment to the Paris Agreement. The work focuses on five priority areas—agriculture and livestock, mining, electromobility, circular economy, and technological innovation—aiming to provide a bottom-up developing country perspective to balance the influence of advanced economies in multilateral trade and climate discussions.

This policy brief examines the intersection of climate change and trade for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) within the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO). It argues that a new "sustainability agenda" at the WTO offers opportunities for CARICOM to advance its trade-related climate interests, particularly as the region faces severe vulnerability to rising temperatures and declining global trade competitiveness.

This policy brief examines climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts within ASEAN member states, specifically focusing on the agriculture, energy, and land-use, land-use change, and forestry sectors. It explores how international trade cooperation and trade-related policies can support these regional efforts and aims to provide a bottom-up, developing country perspective to counter the dominance of advanced economies in global trade and climate discussions at the WTO and other international settings.

This policy brief provides an overview of the WTO Dialogue on Plastics Pollution, a member-led initiative launched in November 2020 to foster trade cooperation to reduce plastic pollution. It details the Dialogue's evolution, its three primary workstreams—crosscutting issues, promoting trade to tackle pollution, and circularity/reduction—and explores various policy options for international cooperation within the WTO framework, while emphasizing complementarity with other global efforts like the UNEA negotiations for a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.

This policy brief explores the complex relationship between international trade and sustainable agriculture, highlighting that while agri-food systems contribute 31% of global GHG emissions and drive 80% of deforestation, trade is essential for the 80% of the world population relying on food imports. The author argues for a shift from production-enhancing subsidies to market-correcting ones and suggests utilizing WTO mechanisms—such as the SPS Committee and the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD)—to coordinate global efforts toward sustainable food systems.

This policy brief argues for the mainstreaming of climate change into Africa's development strategy through green industrialization, renewable energy, and multilateral engagement to ensure a more inclusive global dialogue on trade and climate resilience.

This policy brief examines the intersection of international trade and climate change, specifically focusing on how the World Trade Organization (WTO) can facilitate cooperation to support climate mitigation and adaptation goals while ensuring a just transition for developing countries.

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.