Event Body Meeting
WTO Public Forum 2024 | Re-globalization: Better Trade for a Better World
The World Trade Organization Public Forum took place from 10 to 13 September 2024 under the theme Re-globalization: Better Trade for a Better World.
About the WTO Public Forum
The Public Forum is the WTO’s largest outreach event, providing a unique platform for interested stakeholders from around the world to discuss the latest developments in global trade and to propose ways of enhancing the multilateral trading system. As the WTO celebrates its 30th anniversary, the 2024 Public Forum looked to the future, exploring how re-globalization can help make trade more inclusive and ensuring that its benefits reach more people. This year’s Public Forum theme is ‘Re-globalization: Better Trade for a Better World’.
The sub-themes of the Forum are:
- Green policies to maximise the benefits of trade
- Services trade to build progress and enhance welfare
- Digitalisation as a catalyst for inclusive trade
Opening High-level Panel – Launch of the World Trade Report
The first High-level Panel of the WTO Public Forum 2024 featured the launch of the World Trade Report 2024 and will take place on 10 September 2024 from 10:30 to 11:30 CEST in Room CR.
Over the past 30 years, the world has witnessed a period of unprecedented income convergence, as the wide gap in income levels between economies has narrowed. Economic growth has improved living conditions and prospects for many people around the world. However, not all individuals, regions and economies have benefited equally from the changes brought about by more open trade.
The World Trade Report 2024 explores the complex interlinkages between trade and inclusiveness across and within economies. Openness to international trade can drive economic growth but many low- and middle-income economies struggle to integrate in world trade or diversify. Although trade supports numerous jobs and provides access to affordable goods and services, some individuals can face challenges in adapting to new economic conditions following trade openness.
Environment @ WTO Public Forum 2024
With “green policies to maximize the benefits of trade” as one of the sub-themes of the forum, the environment featured prominently at the 2024 edition of the WTO Public Forum.
10 September
- Bridging the Gap: Equitable, Transparent, and Sustainable Instruments and Innovative Policies to Maximise the Benefits of Global Trade while Ensuring Environmental Objectives| ADROIT LAW LLP Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) | 09:00-10:15 CEST | Room S1
- Aqua-Nomics: Splashing into Sustainable Innovation with the Blue Bioeconomy | Curaçao Ministry of Economic Development (MEO), Proteus Ocean Group (Proteus) | 09:00-10:15 CEST | Room F
- A Greener International Economic Order: Mitigation of Unilateral Policies and Equitable Outcomes for All | London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) | 09:00-10:15 CEST | Room Centre Stage
- Inclusivity at Work: Perspectives from the WTO Young Trade Leaders 2024 (High-Level Panel) | WTO | 11:45-13:00 CEST | Room Centre Stage
- Leveraging China’s Green Transition for Global Climate Mitigation: Perspectives, Opportunities and Challenges | Center for China and Globalization (CCG) | 13:15-14:30 CEST | Room S2
- Equitable Green Trade: Strategies for Inclusive Carbon Pricing and Environmental Policies | Multilateral Dialogue Geneva Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Wilson Center – Wahba Institute for Strategic Competition (WISC) | 13:15-14:30 CEST | Room S3
- Sustainable Agriculture: Balancing Trade, Food Security, and Environmental Goals | Mission of Brazil to the WTO and other Economic Organizations in Geneva | 13:15-14:30 CEST | Room W & Live Webcast
- Circular Economy for a Just Energy Transition: Enrichment of The Critical Materials Value Chain in Extractive Regions in the reglobalization context | Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense (AIDA) | 13:15-14:30 CEST | Room D & Live Webcast
- From Zero to Hero: how sectoral “zero for zero” spirits tariff deals support inclusive and sustainable trade | World Spirits Alliance (WSA) | 13:15-14:30 CEST | Room F
- Trade rules for supporting small-scale farming as contributors to green trade in agriculture: Which way forward? | COAST Foundation (COAST) & Humundi | 13:15-14:30 CEST | Room B
- Resilient and greener supply chains for cross-border e-commerce | China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), International Trade Centre (ITC) | 15:00-16:15 CEST | Room S1
- Critical Minerals, Green Transition, and Africa’s Industrial Development Pathways | African Group (African Union Members & Observers to the WTO) (African Group) | 15:00-16:15 CEST | Room S2
- TradeExperettes’ Ten Quick Wins for Re-globalization and Resilience in Trade | TradeExperettes (TE) | 15:00-16:15 CEST | Room S3
- Trade and the Climate Emergency – Policy Priorities for Developing Countries – World Bank report launch | World Bank Group | 15:00-16:15 CEST | Room E
- Greening supply chains: preparing the multilateral trading system for corporate accountability tools | Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) | 15:00-16:15 | Room F
- Next Generation approaches to trade and development | Georgetown University | 15:00-16:15 CEST | Room Library
Highlights
11 September
- Green Industrialization on the African continent: what role for trade policy? | TradeMark Africa (TMA) and Europe Jacques Delors | 13:30-14:45 CEST | Room S2
- Greener and Inclusive Economies in the Name of Re-globalization: Mutual Supportiveness of Government and Private Approaches | Permanent Mission of the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu to the WTO, World Trade Institute, Bern (WTI) | 13:30-14:45 CEST | Room D
- This changes everything: The role of trade policy in adapting to a changing climate | International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), The Pacific Islands Forum Geneva Office | 13:30-14:45 CEST | Room E
- Global Models for Realizing Sustainable and Inclusive Digital Trade through RTAs | Center on Inclusive Trade and Development (CITD) | 13:30-14:45 CEST | Room B
- Sowing inclusivity: rethinking agricultural trade for all (High-level panel) | WTO | 15:15-16:30 CEST | Room CR
- Navigating Trade, Sustainability, and Supply Chain Resilience: Lessons learnt from recent climate emergencies | Women Inside Trade (WIT), International Chamber of Commerce for Brazil (ICC Brazil) | 17:00-18:15 CEST | Room A
- Involving farmers in the development of policy approaches to trade and sustainability | World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) | 17:00-18:15 CEST | Room S1
- Making trade part of the solution: Climate change in the LDCs | Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) | 17:00-18:15 CEST | Room S3
- From Forests to Markets: Amazonia’s Sustainable Trade Path | Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) | 17:00-18:15 CEST | Room W
Highlights
12 September
- Agricultural Trade and Innovation: How the WTO agreements intersect with sustainable farming | Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI) | 09:00-10:15 CEST Room A
- Sustainable Trade and Entrepreneurship: Pathways to Re-globalization | Hamad Bin Khalifa University College of Law (HBKU CL), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, State of Qatar (MOCI Qatar) | 09:00-10:15 CEST | Room S3
- Forging the Future: Trade’s Role in Re-Shaping Low Emission Steel Value Chains | World Trade Organization (WTO) | 09:00-10:15 CEST | Room W & Live Webcast
- From Concept to Commerce: Using AI to Propel Green Trade Policies | ACTUAL | 09:00-10:15 CEST | Room F
- Regulatory Environment of Digital Trade, and Dynamics of Inclusive and Sustainable Development | World Trade Organization (WTO), Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) | 09:00-10:15 CEST | Room B
- New Wine in New Bottles: How to Trade in Critical Minerals to Support Sustainable Development | UK Trade Policy Observatory, University of Sussex (UKTPO, University of Sussex) | 09:00-10:15 CEST | Room Centre Stage
- Trash or Treasure: How the WTO Can Help Facilitate a Circular Economy for Critical Minerals | Washington International Trade Association (WITA) | 13:30-14:45 CEST | Room CR
- Pour un commerce durable des plastiques et de leurs composants | Délégation permanente de la France auprès de l’OMC (DP France OMC) | 13:30-14:45 CEST | Room A
- The Big Blue Agenda: Can SIDS triumph in a Re-globalized World? | World Trade Organization (WTO) | 13:30-14:45 CEST | Room W & Live Webcast
- Addressing environmentally harmful agricultural subsidies through the WTO | Australian Permanent Mission to the WTO and New Zealand Permanent Mission to the WTO & Forum on Trade, environment and the SDGs (TESS) | 13:30-14:45 CEST | Room D & Live Webcast
- Weaving a Greener Future: Pakistan’s Path to Sustainability | Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the WTO, Pakistan Textile Council (PTC) | 13:30-14:45 CEST | Room F
- New plastics economy: how to make a transition possible | UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Brazilian Foreign Trade Chamber (MDIC) | 17:00-18:15 CEST | Room S2
- A rights-based approach to re-globalization: Addressing the implementation of fundamental labour standards in the WTO | International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) | 17:00-18:15 CEST | Room S3
- Unlocking Bangladesh’s Textile Recycling Potential for a sustainable LDC Graduation | EuroCommerce, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) | 17:00-18:15 CEST | Room F
Highlights
13 September
- Landing the Catch – Fulfilling the UN- SDG 14.6. mandate on overfishing and overcapacity | Handelskampanjen, World Forum of Fish Harvesters and Fish Workers (WFF) | 09:00-10:15 CEST | Room CR
- Decarbonization of Energy Intensive Metal Sectors and Global Trade | Istanbul Mineral and Metals Exporters’ Association (IMMIB) | 09:00-10:15 CEST | Room A
- Building Responsible Consensus for a Green Trade Agenda | Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) | 09:00-10:15 CEST | Room W & Live Webcast
- Unlocking sustainable consumption through green trade policies | Consumers International | 09:00-10:15 CEST | Room D
- Re-globalizing trade for an inclusive tomorrow: the youth perspective (High-level panel) | World Trade Organization (WTO) | 10:45-12:00 CEST | Room CR
- Trade as a catalyst for circular and inclusive textile value chains | National Board of Trade Sweden (NBTS), UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Co-organizer UN Environment Programme (UNEP) | 13:30-14:45 CEST | Room S3
- Facilitating the Global Energy Transition: The Role of Multilateral Trade in the Hydrogen Economy | Undersecretariat of International Economic Relations (SUBREI) | 13:30-14:45 CEST | Room D & Live Webcast
- Sustainable Trade Policies: The role of the Fisheries Subsidies in shaping the Environmental Agenda at the WTO | The Pew Charitable Trusts (Pew) & Friends of Ocean Action/World Economic Forum (FOA/WEF) | 13:30-14:45 CEST | Room E
- Boosting Trade In Critical Minerals: Formulating Inclusive Trade Policies | Indonesia for Global Justice (IGJ) | 13:30-14:45 CEST | Room F
- COP29 Information Session | COP29 Presidency | 15:15-16:30 CEST |Room CR
- How to make inclusive green trade policies and services liberalization inclusive and empowering? | Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG), Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Friends of the Earth Malaysia) (SAM) | 15:15-16:30 CEST | Room S3
- Automotive Industry: climate, technological and geopolitical challenges | Institut Jacques Delors (IJD), Paris School of International Affairs – SciencesPo (PSIA SciencesPo) | 17:00-18:15 CEST | Room S1
- AI in Agriculture: Harnessing Digitalization for Inclusive Trade | Digital Agriculture Association (DAA), Permanent Mission of Canada to the World Trade Organization | 17:00-18:15 CEST | Room S2
- Green Industrial Policy – Moving Forward on Climate without Moving Backward on Trade | International Monetary Fund (IMF) | 17:00-18:15 CEST | Room S3
- Making Green Policies Fit for Inclusive Trade and Just Green Transition for the Marginalised: Thinking through the Apparatus of Climate Justice | Curtin University, Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations and other International Organizations | 17:00-18:15 CEST | Room F
- Greening Global Trade: Integrating Sustainability, Economic Development, and Young Scholars’ Insights | TradeLab | 17:00-18:15 CEST | Room
Highlights
Don’t let the sun set on our chance to #StopFundingOverfishing!
The World Trade Organization’s historic 2022 Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, two decades in the making, was a critical first step for protecting fish populations across the globe. But there’s more work to do. WTO members must strengthen the agreement as soon as possible by finalizing new rules curbing subsidies that encourage overfishing and overcapacity. Time is running out. The longer we wait, the more coastal communities are hurt by damaging subsidies that deplete the fish stocks they depend on. And if WTO members are unable to reach consensus on the new rules within four years of the 2022 agreement’s entry into force, that agreement will “sunset,” or expire, throwing decades of effort overboard.
So this year at the Public Forum, visit the WTO’s lakeside terrace for a larger-than-life look at what’s at risk and an opportunity to take a photo and show your support for strengthening the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies to protect our ocean—and our future.
Hosted by the Stop Funding Overfishing Coalition
