Welcome to the thirteenth edition of the TESS Quarterly Update. In this edition, we provide a review of some key activities that TESS has pursued over the past months to help connect the dots and foster inclusive cooperation at the nexus of trade, environment, and sustainable development.
Eight ways we made a difference this year
As 2025 comes to a close, we’re taking stock of our major milestones over the past year and refining priorities for 2026 and beyond. For TESS, 2025 has been a year of growth and impact. This has only been possible with the support and collaboration of an expanding set of partners, colleagues, and friends from around the world. Thank you—together, we’re making a positive difference!
This year, we saw trade-related issues capture the world’s attention in unprecedented ways—from the fallout of US tariffs to the prominence of trade in climate discussions. Amidst the turmoil of the daily headlines, TESS has remained steadfastly committed to achieving our vision of a world where the global trading system effectively addresses global environmental crises and advances sustainable development.
We’ve highlighted eight recent achievements from this exciting year below. We look forward to working together in 2026—with both long-standing colleagues and new partners—to shape next steps and positive outcomes for inclusive cooperation on trade and sustainability.
Carolyn DEERE BIRKBECK
Founder and Executive Director, TESS
1. We launched our first Annual Conference on Trade, Climate, and Sustainable Development
On 23–24 October, we were delighted to host the first edition of the TESS Annual Conference on Trade, Climate, and Sustainable Development (TCSD 2025), which focused on forging trade cooperation pathways forward around three foundational themes: climate action, resilience, and justice.
TCSD 2025 demonstrated that there is a vibrant, growing, and diverse community of experts around the world committed to effective, inclusive international cooperation on trade, climate, and sustainable development. We look forward to continuing to connect and strengthen that expert community of practice. As a first step, in 2026 we will be taking forward number of thematic expert groups for actionable solutions and policy options on key themes discussed at the conference. And, we will be organizing the next edition of the TESS TCSD Conference in the autumn of 2026—stay tuned!
We encourage you to visit the TCSD website where you will find the full programme, list of speakers, and video recordings of the public panels.
2. We supported key cooperative efforts on trade at COP30
As governments and stakeholders gathered in Belém from 10–21 November for COP30, TESS was on the ground to support efforts to promote inclusive cooperation on trade, climate, and sustainable development.
We were proud to continue our work in support of the Coalition of Trade Ministers on Climate, with an event at COP30 on the role of trade cooperation in advancing climate change mitigation and adaptation and climate-resilient sustainable development. At COP30, the Coalition released a brochure of examples of collaborative actions by members. A video recording is available.
COP30 also saw the launch of the Integrated Forum on Climate Change and Trade (IFCCT) designed to promote dialogue and solution-building at the intersection of trade and climate change. A consultative phase co-chaired by Brazil and Australia is currently underway to further refine the Forum’s approach and thematic focus. TESS is proud to have been invited to serve as the anchor organization for the IFCCT Secretariat.
TESS further co-organized three COP30 side-events: we convened with LeadIT an event on industrial decarbonization; in partnership with the FACT Dialogue we organized an event on the importance of smallholder inclusion in sustainable agri-food chains; and with UNCTAD, IISD, Youth Negotiators, and ISO we supported an event on affordable access to technologies.
3. We published a compilation of 30+ expert views on how the trading system can help address the climate crisis
In 2025, we launched a Synergies series of expert views to spur discussion on a proactive, forward-looking, and inclusive agenda on where the trading system can contribute to addressing the climate crisis and supporting climate-resilient development.
To mark the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Agreement in December, we published a compilation of 34 contributions to this Synergies series by leading experts from around the world that were published online. The compilation provides a rich diversity of perspectives and ideas on how international cooperation on trade can be enhanced to drive urgent action on the Paris Agreement’s climate goals in ways that supports climate-resilient development.
4. We highlighted critical issues at the nexus of trade and sustainability at Geneva Trade Week and the WTO Public Forum
On 15–18 September, we proudly hosted, supported, and participated in a range of events on trade and sustainability during the WTO Public Forum and Geneva Trade Week.
At this year’s Public Forum, TESS co-organized with WWF a session on trade agendas for nature, climate, and sustainable development to launch a new joint discussion paper (see below) and spur strategic dialogue on narratives and policy agendas for an international trading system that places nature and people at its heart. A video recording of the event is available.
Alongside the WTO Public Forum, TESS collaborates each year with Geneva Trade Week. For this 2025 edition, we were delighted to lead the high-level opening plenary and organize roundtables across the week on critical issues at the nexus of trade and sustainability, including on sustainable agriculture, circular economy, water footprints, the net-zero transition, and subsidies and industrial policies. Our partners for these events included UN Trade and Development, the World Economic Forum, Circular Innovation Lab, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Chatham House, and WWF-UK. We also hosted our flagship annual stakeholder breakfast roundtable bringing together leading climate and trade experts from around the world.
5. We supported cooperation towards an ambitious, fair, and effective treaty on plastic pollution
With governments and stakeholders convening in Geneva from 5–14 August for the resumed fifth session of the International Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution (INC-5.2), TESS actively supported efforts to conclude an ambitious, fair, balanced, and effective treaty.
A highlight for TESS has been our ongoing work as the Secretariat of the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution (HAC), which now facilitates the cooperation of about 100 INC members under the broad umbrella of the “HAC and Friends.”
As in past INC sessions, we focused our efforts on building convergence on several of the most critical but challenging issues for negotiation, including the operationalization of the protection of human health and the environment; problematic plastic products and chemicals of concern in products; product design; sustainable production and consumption of plastics, focusing in particular on primary plastic polymers; and financing. We also worked to foster shared understandings and cooperation on the trade-related aspects of the treaty, and we support the launch event of the new Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics, an independent, health-focused global monitoring system on plastics.
6. We published expert analysis of net-zero scenarios for key sectors in developing countries
Launched during COP30, this compilation collates a series of nine briefing notes on current and anticipated transformations in key sectors on the road to net zero and in the context of the unfolding climate crisis, focusing on implications for developing countries, climate-resilient development, and international trade cooperation. The sectors covered are agriculture, carbon markets, critical minerals, digital transformation, energy transition, fisheries, heavy industries, shipping, and textiles and garments. The contributions are each authored by independent experts in these respective fields.
7. We advanced partnerships on nature and trade
This discussion paper, published in partnership with WWF, aspires to spur reflection on the potential building blocks of a new narrative and policy agenda on international trade that places nature and people at its heart. In so doing, it aims to inform forward-looking strategic dialogue, cooperation and action on potential pathways and entry points to support global policy and advocacy work on a trade agenda that could reverse biodiversity loss, support the climate agenda, and advance sustainable development in all three of its dimensions—environmental, economic, and social.
8. We supported work by WTO members to enhance cooperation on trade-climate measures
This briefing note reviews a set of rationales, priorities, and potential outcomes for enhanced international cooperation on trade- climate measures that have been raised by a range of WTO members in formal submissions and in various WTO settings. Based on these findings, the paper identifies existing gaps and areas where discussions and cooperation at the WTO could add value.
