Description
The
International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) organised
a roundtable on trade and climate change on 14 October 2004 in Geneva,
Switzerland. The objective of the roundtable was to examine the linkages
between two major aspects of current global change - the processes of
trade liberalisation and global warming. Presentations explored the
relationship between the climate change regime and trade rules, including
the implications of the current Doha Round of trade negotiations. Discussions
sought to identify areas of potential synergies and conflict between
the two sets of rules, and explored windows of opportunity for promoting
sustainable development. The interaction between trade liberalisation
with both climate change mitigation and adaptation was
addressed.
In
terms of climate change mitigation, issues of interest revolved around
energy: energy pricing and related border-tax adjustments, standards,
subsidies, the potential of sustainable energy sources and the flexible
mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol. Novel and sustainable forms of
energy, such as biofuels, were also considered, as the current Doha
Round opens possibilities for liberalising trade in environmental goods
and services at an accelerated pace.
Given
the mounting evidence that climate change already is taking place, the
workshop further considered the implications of adaptation to climate
change. Specific questions that arise in this regard include how trade
liberalisation under the WTO and the expected impacts of climate change
concurrently affect people engaged in agriculture, especially vulnerable
communities and countries. In addition, new export opportunities for
developing countries may arise in agriculture and related areas as a
result of the Doha Round. Such opportunities should be capitalised on
in the crafting of adaptation strategies or the design of Clean Development
Mechanism projects.
The
roundtable was intended for both trade delegates and the climate change
community, and included introductions to the current state of negotiations
and policy in both areas. The roundtable concluded with an open-ended
discussion of the emerging issues in the climate policy/trade nexus.
