Selected as part of the inaugural WTO Public Forum Curated Conversations series—hosted by the Geneva Trade Platform in partnership with the World Trade Organization (WTO)—this Curated Conversation is organized by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS). The event will explore options to improve trade cooperation in support of domestic, regional, and global efforts to reduce the environmental and health impacts of plastic pollution and to transition to a safer and more environmentally sustainable plastics trade.
AGENDA
- Introductory considerations to support consideration of the nexus of trade, plastic pollution, and health protection
- Open roundtable discussion
- Review and closing
Guiding questions:
- How can improved trade cooperation contribute to addressing the human health impacts of plastic pollution?
- How might improved trade cooperation be advanced in different available fora? What inter-organizational cooperation could support this?
Background
There is broad recognition backed by abundant scientific evidence that plastic pollution harms both the environment and human health at every stage of the plastics life cycle. With 78% of plastics produced being traded internationally for a total amount of US$1.2 trillion in 2024 according to UNCTAD, considering trade aspects as part of efforts to protect human health and the environment from plastic pollution will be key.
Whilst there has been significant discussion on the environmental impacts of plastic pollution in trade contexts, the role of trade cooperation in addressing the human health impacts of plastic pollution has to date received less focus. Trade-related measures that are aimed at addressing the health impacts of plastic pollution are also more limited than those addressing environmental impacts.
Organized by:
