High-level dialogue on sustainable trade, climate, and nature: How can cooperation on trade support climate action and sustainable development?

Chatham House, the GCRF TRADE Hub, UN Environment Programme and the Forum on Trade, Environment and the SDGs (TESS) hosted a high-level dialogue at COP26 on how trade and trade policy can support nature positive climate action and sustainable development on 6 November 2021, 12:10-14:10 GMT.

• Multilateral approaches and the role of international organisations
• Opportunities for trade ministers to support action on climate mitigation and adaptation
• Stakeholder perspectives on opportunities to align climate and trade agendas and strategies to build cooperation

Watch the event: 

Speakers included:

Segment 1: Multilateral approaches and the role of international organisations

• Inger Andersen, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme
• Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General, UNCTAD
• Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director, International Trade Centre
• Mari Pangestu, Managing Director of Development Policy and Partnerships, World Bank
• Jean-Marie Paugam, Deputy Director-General, WTO

Segment 2: Opportunities for trade ministers to support action on climate mitigation and adaptation

• Andres Valenciano Yamuni, Minister for Foreign Trade Costa Rica
• Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission
• Hon. Sandra Husbands, Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade Barbados
• Hon. Damien O’Connor, Minister for Trade and Export Growth, and Hon. James Shaw, Minister of Climate Change, New Zealand (video message)

Segment 3: Stakeholder perspectives on opportunities to align climate and trade agendas and strategies to build cooperation

• Neil Burgess,  Chief Scientist, UNEP-WCMC, GCRF Trade, Development and the Environment Hub (GCRF TRADE Hub)
• John Denton, Secretary-General, International Chamber of Commerce
• Roopa Mehta, President, World Fair Trade Organisation