Background and Objective
As countries move from climate commitments to implementation, trade and international cooperation can play a critical role in accelerating the transition to low-carbon and sustainable economies. By facilitating access to climate-relevant goods, services, technologies, and knowledge, trade can help strengthen productive capacities, diversify economies, and develop green, blue, and circular value chains that support sustainable industrialization and climate resilience. Realizing this potential requires translating national climate priorities into practical support for businesses, particularly SMEs, to invest in cleaner production, build resilience, and access markets.
However, many developing countries continue to face challenges in building sustainable industrial capabilities, integrating into emerging low-carbon green value chains, and complying with evolving sustainability standards and market requirements. These challenges are particularly acute for SMEs, which often lack access to the information, technologies, skills, and resources needed to meet sustainability requirements and seize new market opportunities. Limited access to affordable finance and difficulties demonstrating investment readiness further constrain their ability to adopt green technologies and business models. Trade cooperation, capacity-building, and knowledge-sharing, and policy coordination are essential to ensure that the transition supports competitiveness, economic diversification, resilience, and inclusive growth. Closer coordination between trade and environment ministries, business support organizations, financial institutions, and buyers can help align NDC implementation with trade and SME needs.
The session will showcase implementation progress, lessons learned, and remaining challenges under the PAS Harnessing Trade Policy for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Low-Carbon Economic Diversification and Climate Resilience. Drawing on country experiences and stakeholder perspectives, panelists will explore practical approaches and cooperative frameworks to strengthen trade's contribution to climate action, sustainable development, and resilience. The session aims to identify key opportunities, barriers, and priority actions to advance trade cooperation in support of inclusive and sustainable green industrialization.
Expected Outcomes
- Identification of practical pathways and policy recommendations
- Showcasing of successful implementation experiences and partnerships
- Enhanced collaboration opportunities among stakeholders
Moderator
Chantal Line CARPENTIER, Head, Trade, Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development, UNCTAD
Speakers:
- Gabriel BAUTISTA, Minister and Deputy Permanent Representative, Mission of the Philippines to the WTO
- Yasmin ISMAIL , Senior Policy Advisor , Trade, Climate & Sustainable Development, TESS
- Representative from COP31 Presidency.
- Vanessa EROGBOGBO , Director of Sustainable and Inclusive Trade, ITC
- Representative from SME on identifying trade opportunities that support climate adaptation
- Aik Hoe LIM, Director , Trade and Environment Division, WTO
- Remco FISCHER , Climate Change Lead, UNEP FI , NZECA.
