REPORTS: Making the international trade system work for climate change

Trade rules are perceived by some as a barrier to stronger climate ambition, and the international trade system has often been criticised from a climate policy perspective. 

Looming conflicts between the climate regime and the trade system have been the focus for many analysts and policy makers. Under the Paris Agreement, each country is determining its own national contribution to global climate protection. This could lead to uneven implementation, and potential trade issues.

But trade rules could also push transformation in climate policy. This project run by think tank Climate Strategies explored the relationship between trade and climate negotiations from a legal, institutional and policy perspective, providing resources for policy makers.

It assessed policy options to inform decision-makers on how the international trade system could contribute to achieving climate goals, focusing on border carbon adjustments, fossil fuel subsidies and institutional relations concerning climate and trade.

As part of the project, I edited the reports:

How to Design Border Carbon Adjustments that Work for the Climate, October 2017

Tackling Fossil Fuel Subsidies through International Trade Agreements, November 2017

Designing Border Carbon Adjustments for Enhanced Climate Action, December 2017

Making the International Trade System Work for Climate Change: Assessing the Options, July 2018

Making Trade Work for Climate: Options for Policymakers, policy brief, August 2018

Other reports edited for Climate Strategies include:

Hourcade, J.C; Glemarec, Y; de Coninck, H; Bayat-Renoux, F.; Ramakrishna, K., Revi, A. (2021). Scaling up climate finance in the context of Covid-19. (South Korea: Green Climate Fund) – Executive summary available here

Harnessing Research for Climate Ambition and Transparency, Based on the proceedings of the 4th Global Climate Policy Conference in São Paulo – Brazil, 16-17 August 2018

Paris Agreement in practice: what next for Africa and developing countries? Based on the proceedings of the 3rd Global Climate Policy Conference, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 13-14 July 2016

Photo via Pixabay