Foreign Trade University participates in session 86 at the WTO Community Forum

At the World Trade Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, the 2023 WTO Public Forum held discussions on implementing international commitments on climate change and implementing policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions towards the goal of Net Zero by 2050.

Accordingly, within the framework of the forum, session 86 has the content: "The struggle for future markets: Decarbonization, trade and geopolitics". The organizers of this session include: International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD); Foreign Trade University of Vietnam (FTU); E3G.

Foreign Trade University participates in session 86 at WTO community forum image 1

Decarbonization and climate change mitigation policies are perhaps the biggest stressors in the overall framework of WTO rules today. Climate-related trade restrictions, including carbon controls, regulations on deforestation in supply chains, and green subsidies aimed at gaining future market share. And trade agreements that guarantee access to rare minerals are testing the multilateral trading system’s ability to ensure that no one is left behind.

Foreign Trade University participates in session 86 at WTO community forum image 2 — Dr. Vu Kim Ngan at the discussion session.

Geopolitical rivalry and a lack of trust between parties also mean that the global political environment is making cooperation difficult, with walls of separation gradually rising simultaneously. The question is whether there is a solution to ensure that the multilateral trading system and the climate regime can work together?

This session will examine the challenges of international cooperation in the race against time.

The discussion session includes 1 chair and 4 presenters with interpretation in 3 languages: EN, FR, ES (English, French, Spanish).

Dr. Vu Kim Ngan - WCP Co-Chairholder, Deputy Director of WTO Chairs Program at Foreign Trade University presented the case of Vietnam.