Deputy Director-General (DDG) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Alan Wolff, has stated that trade policies can form part of efforts that will help reduce plastic pollution in the world.
He disclosed this in a speech delivered to a Graduate Institute “Geneva Trade Week” session on plastic pollution on September 30, 2020.
DDG Wolff said “trade regulations, import, export or transit restrictions, public procurement practices, border or internal taxes and subsidies as incentives are some of the tools in the trade policy toolkit that could be deployed to help address plastic pollution”.
Speaking on the topic “Trade and trade policy in the fight against plastic pollution: What are the challenges and opportunities?”, DDG Wolff stated that, “tackling plastic pollution and moving towards better plastics trade will require coordination and collective action along the entire supply chain from a range of stakeholders, including policymakers, producers and consumers.
“Trade and trade policy can be part of the solution. Trade policies can help promote trade in goods and services that support broader efforts to reduce plastic pollution. Trade could also provide opportunities to gain access to world-class waste management solutions and to participate in supply chains for less-polluting alternatives. Trade can help to scale up solutions that facilitate a transition to a sustainable and circular plastics economy”.
Shedding light on measures that will be or are being taken can also help curb disguised trade protection, DDG Wolff stated that transparency can help share knowledge and best practices, increasing predictability in trade relations.
“That is why the WTO Secretariat spends considerable effort to make available the WTO Environmental Database (EDB), a unique window into all environment-related notifications submitted by WTO Members, along with the environmental measures mentioned in WTO Trade Policy Reviews.
“Between 2009 and 2018, WTO members notified 128 measures affecting trade in plastics for environmental reasons. By helping to keep track of trade measures to combat plastic pollution, the Database provides a factual basis to inform evidence-based discussions on what national governments are already doing and where further action or coordination may be needed”.
DDG Wolff calls for action to be taken to address the issue of plastic pollution, leveraging on the opportunities provided by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Challenges create opportunities. The disruption caused by the pandemic is an opportunity to consider how the trading system can best respond to crises, which in that case, consists of dealing with a scarcity of medical goods.
“If it is agreed by our Members that plastics pollution is a global crisis requiring concerted trade action, the WTO community can consider options for concrete actions that the WTO can take in the trade field to expand opportunities and overcome challenges to reduce plastic pollution.
DDG Wolff is also advocating the need to use technology to spur research and development in the fight against plastic pollution.
“Trade and trade policy could also accelerate technology dissemination and spur R&D for better plastics trade. Members may wish to consider reviving the Environmental Goods Agreement as a powerful tool to facilitate trade in environmental goods and services, including less-polluting alternatives and inputs to biodegradable plastics”.
