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Green Trade Policies and Agreements towards inclusive Green Economies with Sustainable Consumption and Production
Global Trade can play a Key Role
Currently, global trade acts as an amplifier to the triple planetary crises of climate instability, nature loss, and rising pollution. However, trade can contribute to sustainable development if trade policies align with environmental and social policies. The shift to sustainable production and consumption patterns creates new opportunities for environmental goods, services, and technologies - all necessary to meet the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda. Yet, many countries lack the capacity to use trade as a vehicle for achieving sustainable development. View Inger Andersen, UNEP’s executive director, about how trade could contribute to sustainability.
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The role of the UNEP Environment & Trade Hub
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The Environment & Trade Hub serves as the delivery mechanism for UNEP's work on trade. The objective is to green trade by engaging at the global, national and private sector level. To achieve this the Hub works on greening global production and consumption by focusing on enhancing the design and sustainability standards of the value chains of key sectors, and facilitating market access for sustainable products. The Hub works with WTO members to green the multilateral trade agenda by pushing for the reform of harmful subsidies, liberalizing trade in environmental goods and services and by echoing the perspectives of developing country members. The Hub also works on cross-cutting topics, like trade and export finance, and it advises member states on the trade and environment nexus. More about our Key Messages and how to contact us in our Fact File.
The Environment & Trade Hub works across key areas:
1. Greening global value chains of key sectors
a. Focus Area: Textile Commodities Value Chains
Circularity and Used Textile Trade: Greening trade in used textiles.
The textiles industry is experiencing remarkable upward trajectory, with its value expected to reach US$1.6 trillion in 2023 and forecasted to double to US$3.3 trillion by 2030, despite the challenges brought on by the global pandemic in 2020. Textile and apparel exports serve as crucial economic drivers in countries such as Pakistan (59%), Bangladesh (85%), Turkey (12%), and Egypt (11%) providing significant employment opportunities, particularly for women. The "Circularity and Used Textiles Trade" project is at the forefront of driving substantial change within the industry. By identifying key policy priorities, developing global guidelines for the trading of used textiles, collaborating with governments in Pakistan, Kenya, Ghana, and Tunisia, integrating innovative product designs and business models to enhance sustainability and resilience in the textile value chain, and establishing monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, the project is ensuring transparency and accountability in achieving its goals of transitioning towards a sustainable and circular textile industry.
More on UNEP's outcomes in the textiles trade.
b. Agriculture and food systems
Trade, Development and the Environment Hub
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Trade in natural and agricultural goods is a key part of economic growth. Removing too many wild animals or plants can cause populations to decline and ultimately crash. Clearing land for crops removes essential habitat for wildlife and threatens water, air and soil resources. The UKRI GCRF Trade, Development and the Environment Hub aims to make trade sustainable for people and the planet (Introduction movie). With over 50 organizations from 15 countries, this five-year project is led by UNEP-WCMC. The project investigates trade in wildlife, wild meat and agricultural goods worldwide from their origins in Brazil, Central Africa, China, Indonesia and Tanzania. Together with policymakers and IO's, UNEP's Environment & Trade Hub contributes to the project by catalyzing public policy responses to greening international trade in agricultural goods.
More on UNEP’s outcomes from Trade, Development and the Environment Hub project.
c. Additional global Value Chains:
