Climate Change, the Natural Environment, and the Green Transition
IISD is driving change at the intersection of trade, climate change and the natural environment. From tackling urgent challenges like climate resilience or plastic pollution to fostering green market growth and ramping up the industrial decarbonization efforts, our research informs better policies for a sustainable future.
In a world grappling with the urgency of meeting the 1.5°C Paris targets and combatting environmental crises, the international trade community cannot afford to be passive. Better designed policies and closer integration of trade and environmental agendas can not only help mitigate climate change but also bolster resilience and foster the growth of a greener global market.
At IISD, we have a longstanding commitment to bridging the gap between trade policy and environmental imperatives. Our research delves into the role of trade policy and its instruments to deliver on broader sustainability goals like the energy transition and climate-resilient development. From driving decarbonization in industrial sectors to promoting circularity and sustainable production, our work aims to forge pathways toward a greener, more resilient future.
Current Focus Areas:
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Border Carbon Adjustments (BCAs)
Border carbon adjustments (BCAs) are gaining traction as governments take decisive action on industrial decarbonization. BCA are used to support ambitious domestic climate action, but they also pose challenges, potentially disrupting traditional trade flows and disadvantaging producers in developing countries. Meaningful international cooperation is crucial to ensure fair implementation aligned with Paris targets. IISD has provided expertise to governments on BCAs for over 15 years, fostering informed discussions and leveling knowledge across trade and climate change communities.
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Green industrial policy
IISD is at the forefront of analysis and advice on green subsidies and broader industrial policies. As the race for industrial decarbonization intensifies, governments are pouring billions of dollars into renewable energy and strategic equipment. While these subsidies aim to spur green investment, they also risk widening global inequality. We bring the policy makers and experts together to unpack this highly complex issue for the better informed policies and decisions.
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Plastics
Governments worldwide are actively engaged in the fight against plastic pollution, including through the reduced use of short-lived, harmful and unnecessary plastics and promotion of circularity. However, fragmented efforts will not be as effective as the coordinated global action. IISD’s plastics and trade work provides evidence-based support to governments, assessing the impact of their plastic policies on international trade relations advocating for global cooperation.
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Climate resilience
Climate change adaptation is an urgent challenge to many developing countries that have been building up their resilience strategies in the face of extreme weather situations and the disasters and destruction caused by them. IISD supports the governments in this challenging task providing essential research and evidence that is needed to bring the trade policy and resilience communities together. A better understanding of the links between the trade and climate change adaptation policy priorities allows for an integrated approach to the decision making in the area that for long has not been noticed in the trade policy circles.
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Fossil fuel subsidy reform at the WTO
The Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform initiativeis a unique and groundbreaking initiative by a large group of WTO members that is addressing a particularly important issue in the context of global quest of energy transition and climate change. Through our expertise in gathering and analyzing data on government fossil fuel support, IISD contributes to informed policy-making and effective action, aiming to redirect fiscal resources away from fossil fuel dependency towards tackling pressing social and economic challenges.
Research and Publications
Trade-Related Policy Measures to Reduce Plastic Pollution: Building on the state of play
This report looks at the trade-related plastic pollution-reduction measures notified by World Trade Organization (WTO) members in order to provide inspiration for further actions and international cooperation options.
Border Carbon Adjustments: Priorities for international cooperation
This IISD policy brief looks into border carbon adjustment design elements that are priorities for international cooperation, as well as the possible venues, formats, and shapes that such a discussion might take.
Border Carbon Adjustments: Pivotal design choices for policy-makers
This policy brief covers the pivotal choices in the design of border carbon adjustments, aiming to provide useful insights to policy-makers and set the ground for the broader discussions about the best practices.
Project team
Nathalie Bernasconi-Osterwalder
Vice-President, Global Strategies and Managing Director, Europe
Alice Tipping
Director, Trade and Sustainable Development
Ieva Baršauskaitė
Lead I, Trade and Green Transition
Aaron Cosbey
Senior Associate
Darcie Doan
Senior Specialist, Trade and Climate
Tristan Irschlinger
Senior Policy Advisor I, Fisheries Subsidies
Rashmi Jose
Senior Policy Advisor
Rashid S. Kaukab
Senior Specialist, Trade and Sustainable Development
Florencia Sarmiento
Policy Advisor
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