Building on the growing engagement of WTO members in discussions on trade, climate and sustainability and the broad recognition of the need to forge collaboration, the focus of the panel was to spur discussion on a proactive, forward-looking agenda: How can we enhance international cooperation on trade at the WTO to drive action on the Paris climate goals in ways that support sustainable development priorities?

Questions for discussion included:

• Where does progress on the global climate agenda most require enhanced trade cooperation?
• What are the greatest trade-related challenges frustrating climate action and trade-related needs arising from the impacts of climate crisis - how can these be addressed?
• Where are the greatest opportunities for trade cooperation to make a difference - and fast?
• What kinds of concrete outcomes can be envisaged at the WTO and what is required to make this happen?

Geneva Trade Week is hosted annually at the Geneva Graduate Institute by the Geneva Trade Platform in the margins of the WTO Public Forum. The event was webcast live.

13:00 – 13:05 Welcome remarks to open Geneva Trade Week

• Dmitry GROZOUBINSKI, Executive Director, Geneva Trade Platform

• Carolyn DEERE BIRKBECK, Executive Director, Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS) (moderator)

13:10 – 13:20 Opening remarks and setting the scene

• Jean-Marie PAUGAM, Deputy Director General, World Trade Organization

13:20 – 13:50 Expert views on pragmatic options and unconventional thinking

5 minute interventions each on the questions above

• Inu MANAK, Fellow for Trade Policy, The Council on Foreign Relations, United States
• WANG Huiyao, Founder and President of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), China
• Ignacio BERCERO, former Director, DG Trade, European Commission, Brussels (online)
• Jan Yves REMY, Director of the Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services, University of the West Indies
• Bernice LEE, Hoffmann Distinguished Fellow at Chatham House, United Kingdom (online)

13:50 – 14:35 Roundtable of Ambassadors

• 5-minute reflections each from a diverse group of Geneva-based Ambassadors to the WTO, including:
  
  • H.E. Mr. James BAXTER, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Australia to the WTO
  • H.E. Mr. Matthew WILSON, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Barbados to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva, Coordinator of the WTO Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group
  • H.E. Mr. LI Chenggang, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of China to the WTO
  • H.E. Ms. Clare KELLY, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of New Zealand to the WTO
  • H.E. Mr. Ali Sarfraz HUSSAIN, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the WTO
  • H.E. Mr. Raul CANO RICCIARDI, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Paraguay to the WTO
  • H.E. Ms. Nella Pepe TAVITA-LEVY, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Samoa to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva
  • H.E. Mr. Erwin BOLLINGER, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the WTO

14:35 – 14:40 Concluding Remarks

• Closing remarks