Sustainability at the Intersection of Trade, Environment and Development. UNCTAD-CITES side event event to the Eighth Session of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals

The Rio+20 outcome document "The Future We Want" reaffirms the role of biodiversity and ecosystem services as key elements for sustainability and human and economic well-being. It also provides for current discussions on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As discussions on possible SDGs advance in the Opening Working Group, the role of trade as a catalyst for sustainable development has been considered. The Rio+20 outcome document calls upon UN organizations to keep mainstreaming sustainable development within their respective mandates, programmes, strategies and decision-making processes, in support of the efforts of all countries, in particular developing countries. Similarly, CITES was described as an agreement that stands at the intersection between trade, environment and development to regulate international trade in wildlife – both plants and animals.

As a contribution to the Open Working Group discussions on biodiversity, UNCTAD and CITES are organizing this side event with relevant stakeholders working on trade, environment and development. It will enlighten UN member States on options to mainstream the sustainable trade in biodiversity within the process leading to Post 2015 Development agenda. Sustainable trade in biodiversity-based products and services is becoming a fast growing sector in which local and international value chains interact. For example, it is estimated by the CBD secretariat that the natural cosmetics industry is worth US$ 26 billion, the natural beverages industry about US$ 23 billion and the botanical industry about US$ 85 billion. More specifically and according to UNCTAD, sales of BioTrade products and services have been estimated at US $4.1 billion in 2011.

The objective of the side event is to explore how the sustainable trade of biodiversity-based products and the fight against wildlife trafficking could serve future SDGs. Improved sustainability, accountability and branding systems and better use of innovative technologies will allow consumers to understand better and to differentiate sustainable traded products from traditional ones.

• Welcoming remarks by the Chairman (tbc).
• Dr. Pablo Viera, Vice Minister of Environment, Colombia (tbc).
• Mr. Braulio Dias, Executive Secretary, of the CBD.
• Mr. Bonapas Onguglo, OIC, Trade, Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Branch, DITC, UNCTAD.
• Mr. Juan Carlos Vasquez, Legal Officer, CITES.
• Mr. David O'Connor, Chief, Policy Analysis and Networks Branch, UN-DESA