The relationship between trade and the environment and how it can mutually support each other was discussed during the ‘Trade and Environment Sustainability Agenda for the Pacific’ side event held on 8 October at the 5th Trade and Environment Week currently taking place in Geneva, Switzerland this week.

This side event organised jointly by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) highlighted the importance of aligning trade practices with environmental sustainability, especially for Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) who are at the forefront of the impacts of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and plastic pollution.

The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Pacific Islands Forum to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva, Her Excellency, Ambassador Mere Falemaka said, “The Pacific Islands live in a fragile environment and face an existential threat from climate change, natural disasters, and rising sea levels. Yet, trade plays a dual role—while it contributes to these challenges, it also offers solutions through technology and capital goods for sustainable development.”

WTO Deputy Director General, Ms. Angela Ellard, highlighted the Pacific Islands’ critical role in demonstrating how trade can be harnessed to address the triple planetary crises.

 “The Pacific Islands have a unique understanding of how trade can contribute to addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Trade is vital for climate adaptation and resilience, as it improves access to essential goods and services during climate shocks,” Ms Ellard said.

The event builds on the 2023 decision by Pacific Island Forum Leaders and Pacific Trade Ministers for PIFS and SPREP to collaborate on a regional sustainable development strategy. This strategy, aligned with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, will emphasize the need for environmentally sustainable trade measures, recognizing both the opportunities and risks trade poses to the environment.

Speaking on behalf of SPREP, the Project Manager of SPREP’s Pacific Ocean Litter Project, Luatutu Andrea Volentras retaliated that plastic pollution transcends national borders so the response must involve concerted action at the international level.

“Almost 98.3% of plastic waste entering Pacific waters originates from outside the region. Under a business-as-usual scenario, plastic waste entering aquatic systems could nearly triple by 2040. While the Pacific provides 60% of the world’s fish, it is also the most polluted ocean in the world.”

PIFS and SPREP also held productive dialogues with key stakeholders, including Australia, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the Forum on Trade Environment and the SDGs (TESS), and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), exploring opportunities for collaboration on advancing the Pacific region’s trade and environmental sustainability agenda.

The WTO Trade and Environment Week 2024 aims to foster closer collaboration between trade and environmental communities through a series of dialogues and events. The discussions focus on how trade, while contributing to global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and plastic pollution, can also play a role in mitigating these crises through sustainable practices.

The ‘Trade and Environment Sustainability Agenda for the Pacific’ side event was held on 8 October at the 5th Trade and Environment Week in Geneva, Switzerland from 7 to 11 October 2024.

The side event was by H.E Merewalesi Falemaka Ambassador  and Permanent Representative of the Pacific Islands Forum to the WTO and featured speakers: H.E Ambassador Sumba Antas,  Permanent Mission of Vanuatu, H.E Ambassador Dr. Fancy Too, Permanent Mission of Kenya, Ms Angela Ellard, Deputy Director-General, WTO, Ms Alice Tipping, Director of Trade and Sustainable Development, IISD, Dr Ralph Payet, Executive Secretary of the BRS Convention and Luatutu Andrea Volentras, Pacific Ocean Litter Project Manager SPREP.