The role of trade and investment to address the triple planetary crisis.

Trade and trade-related climate policies can help address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Trade in environmental goods (e.g. wind turbines and solar panels) plays a crucial role in the dissemination of technologies that address a wide range of environmental issues. Yet various barriers to trade in environmental goods (EGs) persist, including their identification, border and behind-the-border measures in the form of tariffs and non-tariff measures. This session will explore the evidence on the potential benefits of trade in EGs in enabling solutions to environmental concerns, and closing the material loop for a more circular, low-carbon economy. It will discuss the issues to be tackled to realise these benefits and ensure they are widely shared. It will also address questions around the design, implementation and effects of the use of trade-based measures that aim to encourage more sustainable production practices by restricting trade in unsustainably produced goods.