Strengthening Trade-Environment Integration: WTO’s TESSD Advances Circularity Discussions Ahead of MC14
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG 13: Climate Action
Institutions: Ministry of Commerce and Industry; Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
At the 18 July 2025 meeting of the WTO's Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD), members acknowledged “important strides” made by four working groups tackling trade’s intersection with environmental and climate goals. The Working Group on Economy-Circularity shared member experiences in promoting circular economy practices within the textiles and battery sectors. Broad support emerged for compiling national practices and trade-policy tools across textiles, batteries, electronics, and renewable energy as part of the forthcoming MC14 outcome document.
Delegates emphasized the working groups’ value in fostering inclusive, technical, and practical dialogue and underscored the importance of transparency, stakeholder engagement, and sharing of developing-country experiences. Some members proposed reflecting on TESSD's structure and considering a future institutional shift of its work to the Committee on Trade and Environment.
A draft annotated outline for a TESSD publication was also introduced, aiming to consolidate five years of substantive insights into how trade policy can support clean energy transitions, decarbonization, climate adaptation, and biodiversity. The draft includes lessons learned, policy messages, and forward-looking guidance for multilateral and national policymakers.
Relevant question for policy stakeholders: How can India integrate trade policy tools that promote circularity in key sectors like textiles, electronics, and renewable energy - leveraging TESSD’s draft outline - to craft a national roadmap that aligns trade with environmental sustainability ahead of MC14?
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https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news25_e/tessd_18jul25_e.htm