COP26: Updating Trade for the Climate Crisis

This session of the Trade and Business Commission looked at the transition to a green economy, and the role of trade policy in this ahead of the COP26 summit in Glasgow, as these topics saw growing domestic and international attention.

In July 2021, the EU published their ‘Fit for 55’ plan, while the UK went on to publish its own economy wide plans. This came with an increasing realisation that the climate emergency requires not just immediate action but fundamental rethinking about many aspects of the economy. We heard from experts in this session in general, but also on the future green economy and the role for trade in building this, before then taking recommendations on what the UK government should be doing.

Caroline Lucas MP chaired this session.

Witnesses

Session 1: How does our approach to economic policy need to change in order for it to support ambitious action on climate change? (10.00am - 11.00pm)

• Professor Paul Ekins, Director, UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources

• Professor Tim Jackson, Professor of Sustainable Development, University of Surrey

• Katie Kedward, UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose

Session 2: What role can international trade play in supporting ambitious action on climate change? How would trade agreements need to adapt? (11.00am - 12.00pm)

• Ruth Bergan, Senior Advisor, Trade Justice Movement,

• Emily Lydgate, Deputy Director of the UK Trade Policy Observatory, University of Sussex

• Charles Arden-Clarke, Former Head One Planet Network (10YFP) Secretariat, UN Environment Programme