Global Launch of the Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report 2021: Accelerating climate-smart trade and investment for sustainable development

International trade and investment have been indispensable engines of economic growth in Asia and the Pacific and remain essential means of implementation for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. However, this economic growth has come with significant social and environmental costs, including the rapidly worsening climate crisis. This Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report (APTIR) 2021 looks at how “climate-smart” trade and investment-related policies can help address climate change, taking into account the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Jointly written by ESCAP, UNCTAD and UNEP, UNCTAD has contributed to the APTIR 2021 with the Chapter 5 on Climate-Smart Trade and Transport Facilitation. The Global Launch of the APTIR 2021 will take place on 11 October 2021 in a panel composed of the UN agencies, co-authors of the Report, as well as experts coming from environment, trade and investment sectors to discuss about the challenges and opportunities in implementing climate-smart trade policies, including trade and transport facilitation.