UNCTAD BioTrade / ITC sessions on sustainable consumption and production

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​UNCTAD will organize two BioTrade sessions within the framework of the Trade for Sustainable Development Forum 2018 organized by the International Trade Centre (ITC), 2 October 2018. This year, the Forum explores the theme of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 “Responsible Consumption and Production” and its relationship with sustainable trade in global value chains.

Session 5, Sustainable Production for Safeguarding Biodiversity (14:00–15:20) will focus on the links between companies and how they can positively impact biodiversity. The recent 2018 Biodiversity Baromete r of the Union for Ethical Biotrade (UEBT) revealed that 79 per cent of consumers believe that companies have a moral obligation to have a positive impact on people and biodiversity. Based on these results, our panelists will address questions such as how companies can address social and environmental criteria within their business models, what are the costs and benefits of it, how do they incorporate biodiversity into their sourcing areas and how are these actions contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 12.

Session 6, Catering to Consumer Demands – Sustainable Consumption of Biodiversity-based Products (15:50–17:10) will address the issues of growing demand of biodiversity-friendly and sustainable products. As an example, the sales of natural products have increased from US$ 1.9 billion in 1980 to US$ 141 billion. The Development Bank of Latin America has estimated a growth of 19 per cent until 2020 for the biodiversity-based products market. Our panelists will discuss what are the key drivers for such a growing demand for sustainably sourced products, the impact on SDGs 12, 15 and 17, as well as how can small and medium-sized enterprises, transnational corporations, government and civil society raise awareness and promote the consumption of sustainable and biodiversity-based products.

See more details in the agenda of the Trade for Sustainable Development Forum 2018. 

These activities are developed by UNCTAD with the support of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO under the Global BioTrade Programme: Linking trade, biodiversity and sustainable development (April 2018–March 2022).