As part of the WTO’s Trade and Environment Week 2025, the Permanent Missions of Barbados, Chad, and Pakistan, with the support of TESS, co-hosted a session on “Trade, Climate Resilience and Development.”
This panel provided an opportunity to hear from a diverse group of climate-vulnerable countries on how international trade cooperation can support climate-resilient development and just transitions, especially for least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS).
The event featured interventions from H.E. Dr Jean-Pierre Baptiste (Chad), H.E. Ali Sarfraz Hussain (Pakistan), H.E. José Valencia (Ecuador), and H.E. Kay Sealy (Barbados), with reflections from Dr Chantal Line Carpentier (UN Trade and Development) and Dr Carolyn Deere Birkbeck (TESS).
Speakers underlined how the impacts of the climate crisis — including storms, floods, sea surges, droughts, extreme heat and sea level rise — generate an array of social, economic and environmental challenges, with a range of implications for the trade and trade cooperation priorities of impacted countries.. They highlighted the urgency of addressing the trade-related dimensions of climate vulnerability, particularly the importance of trade-related cooperation on adaptation, economic diversification, and inclusive approaches to competitiveness.
In her remarks, Carolyn Deere Birkbeck stressed the importance of ensuring that WTO discussions reflect the full range of developing country priorities, including adaptation, loss and damage, and climate-resilient development.
TESS is grateful for the governments of Barbados, Chad and Pakistan for the opportunity to support them on this event.
Speakers
H.E. Mr. Ali Hussain, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the WTO
H.E. Mr. José Valencia, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Ecuador to the WTO
H.E. Dr. Jean-Pierre Baptiste, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Chad to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
Dr. Chantal Line Carpentier, Head Trade Environment Climate Change and Sustainable Development Branch, United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Dr. Carolyn Deere Birkbeck, Executive Director, Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs
Moderator: Kay Sealy, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Barbados to the UN and other international organizations in Geneva
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