TESS was proud to moderate this launch event, which was originally scheduled during the postponed MC12 on 1 December 2021. The launch event witnessed varied range of stakeholders including Trade Ministers from WTO members participating in one or more of three initiatives, as well as leaders of a number of international organisations and stakeholder groups.

The latest versions of the three Ministerial Statements can be accessed here: TESSD, IDP and Fossil Fuel Subsidies

Keynote Address

• Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, WTO

Launch of Ministerial Statements

Trade and Environmental Sustainability – TESSD

• Hon. Andres Valenciano, Minister of Foreign Trade (Costa Rica)

Plastic Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade – IDP

• Hon. Vice Minister Wang Shouwen (China)
• Hon. Julio Jose PRADO, Minister for Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries (Ecuador)
• Hon. Dan Tehan, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment (Australia)

Fossil Fuel Subsidies

• Hon. Damien O'Connor, Minister for Trade and Export Growth (New Zealand)
• Mr. Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade (European Union)

Moderator

• Carolyn Deere Birkbeck, TESS

Perspectives from Stakeholders

• Inger Anderson, Executive Director, UN Environmental Programme (UNEP)
• Rebeca Gryspan, Secretary General, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
• Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
• Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director, International Trade Center (ITC)
• Peter Wooders, Senior Director, Energy, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
• Sean Doherty, Head of International Trade & Investment, World Economic Forum (WEF)
• Crispin Conroy, Permanent Observer to the UN and Representative at the WTO, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
• Marco Lambertini, Director General, WWF International

Closing Remarks

• Jean-Marie Paugam, Deputy Director-General, WTO