What trade and trade policy challenges and opportunities are relevant to tackling plastic pollution?

This event brings together new evidence and policy analysis on how trade and trade and development policy can help reduce plastic pollution and where they can threaten or impede of progress.

In 2019, over 180 governments agreed to the 'Plastics Amendments' to the Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes, bringing in new requirements and procedures to better regulate trade in plastic waste. However, significantly more remains to be done if the international community is going to tackle plastic pollution.

Please note that registrations are required on the  Geneva Trade Week website for anyone who would wish to join any of the sessions. It is also possible to follow the session on the Geneva Trade Platform (GTP) on the watch live link of the Geneva trade week web page (via you tube).

Here you can find information on the Geneva Trade Week Schedule

Key Questions:

1. What is the state of play in plastic trade flows and trade-related actions to reduce plastic pollution?

2. How can trade and trade policy challenge efforts to reduce plastic pollution?

3. How can international cooperation on trade — in multilateral environmental agreements, in trade agreements, at the WTO and elsewhere - support efforts to reduce plastic pollution?

4. What are the opportunities to harness trade policy to tackle plastic pollution and encourage a more circular plastics economy?

Tentative Programme

September 29, 17h00-18h30

Moderator: Carolyn Deere Birkbeck, Senior Researcher, The Graduate Institute

Welcome Remarks:

• Joyce Msuya, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director, UN Environment Programme (tbc)
• Alan Wolff, Deputy Director General, World Trade Organization
• Dona Bertarelli, UNCTAD Special Advisor on the Blue Economy (tbc)

Speakers:

• Winnie Lau, Senior Manager, Preventing Ocean Plastics, Pew Charitable Trusts
• Carlos Martin-Novella, Deputy Executive Director, Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat, UN Environment Programme
• Steve MacFeeley, Senior Economist/Legal Officer/Director, UNCTAD
• Carroll Muffett, President, Center for International Environmental Law
• Kristin Hughes, Managing Director, Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP), World Economic Forum

Contacts:

Graduate Institute:

Carolyn Deere Birkbeck: carolyn.deere@graduateinstitute.ch

UNCTAD:

Diana Barrowclough: diana.barrowclough@un.org

UNEP:

Anja von Moltke: anja.moltke@un.org