INF/TE/SSD/R/5  
 
25 November 2021 
(21-8885) Page: 1/4 
Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured 
Discussions  Original: English  
 
 
WTO TRADE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY STRUCTURED DISCUSSIONS  
MEETING HELD ON 4 NOVEMBER  2021 
Informal s ummary by the Coordinators1 
The f ifth plenary meeting of the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions 
(TESSD) was held on 4 November  2021. The meeting was chaired by the TESSD Coordinators 
(Canada  and Costa Rica ). The agenda for the meeting was contained in document INF/T E/SSD/CN/ 5. 
In keeping with TESSD's open, transparent and inclusive approach, all WTO  Members had been 
invited to attend the meeting.  
1  INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE COORDINATORS  
1.1.  Ambassador Stephen de Boer (Canada) and Ambassador Gloria Abraham Peralta (Costa  Rica) 
expressed  appreciat ion for Members'  engagement in discussions over the past year , as well as for 
the support provided to their work as Coordinators.  China was welcomed as a new co -sponsor as it 
had announced on 22 October 2021 that it would join TESSD. The purpose of the meeting was to 
exchange view s on the draft Ministerial Statement and provide an update on preparations for an 
event at the Twelfth WTO Ministerial Confe rence ( MC12 ).  
1.2.  The Coordinators  noted that several rounds of consultations with co -sponsors and 
non-co-sponsors had been held to arrive at a balanced Ministerial Statement that could attract broad 
support from Members . They believed that the Statement was in a good state , with robust and  
inclusive  language  that offer ed something  for the entire Membership. They expected that a stabilized 
text could be shared in the coming days. They underlined that co-sponsors w ere in a good position 
to enhance their outreac h to other Members to expand the number of signatories to the Statement.  
1.3.  Ambassador Stephen de Boer underscored that the Ministerial Statement would signal 
Members'  commitment to engagement on environmental issues at the WTO and provide a strong 
foundatio n for post-MC12  work. Ambassador Gloria Abraham Peralta highlighted that the ongoing 
COP26 had made it clear that the time to act was now and that Members had a firm opportunity  to 
make trade part of the solution to climate change.  Members were facing a  unique opportunity to 
recognize the role that trade  and trade policy play ed in supporting environmental and climate goals, 
as well as  in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals  (SDGs) . 
2  PRESENTATION OF DRAFT TESSD MINISTERIAL STATEMENT 
(INF/TE/SSD/W/14 /REV.2) AND EXCHANGE OF VIEWS BY MEMBERS  
2.1.  Ambassador Stephen de Boer (Canada) said that the revised draft TESSD Ministerial Statement 
(INF/TE/SSD/W/14/Rev.2) reflected comments from consultations with current as well as potential 
co-sponsors and aimed to fi nd balanced language that could attract broad support from WTO 
Membership. He noted that , since the release of the second revision  on 19 October , engagement 
with potential co -sponsors had continued. Based on the comments received, some adjustments had 
been made which would not unbalance the text. A new revision would be sent out in the very near 
 
1 This summary, prepared and circulated under the Coordinators' responsibility, is being shared with a 
view to providing delegations with a record of the discussions and assisting them in reporting back to their 
capitals. It provides a non -exhaustive, illus trative review of the issues addressed by Members at the meeting.  INF/TE/SSD/R/5  
 
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  term. The Coordinators noted their belief that the draft Statement strikes a balance between the 
interests of Members and provide d a strong basis for engagement pos t-MC12.  
2.2.  A total of 19 Members took the floor to share their views on the draft Ministerial Statement.  
Members expressed appreciation for the leadership and work by the Coordinators in preparing the 
draft TESSD Ministerial Statement. The United States took the floor first and announced that it would 
join the TESSD Ministerial Statement as a co -sponsor, brin ging the number of Members participating 
in TESSD to 56 . Members welcomed China and the United States  to TESSD. The European Union 
and Norway took the opportunity of the meeting to announce that they would join the Informal 
Dialogue on Plastics Pollution ( IDP).  
2.3.  Members expressed broad support for the draft Ministerial S tatement and considered it a 
balanced outcome reflecting the various views of Members, both of co -sponsors and the broader 
Membership. A number of Members underscored the need to finalize the text soon and only include 
minor changes.  It was pointed out that the Statement form ed an initial step on a longer journey 
towards making the WTO and the multilateral trading system more responsive to environmental 
challenges. The draft Ministerial Statement was considered to provide a strong  foundation for taking 
forward TESSD's important work at the intersection of trade, environment and sustainability . 
2.4.  Against the background of the ongoing COP26, several Members  highlighted that  they should 
seize the opportunity to send a strong signal and demonstrate the WTO's ability to respond to the 
global challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution. The WTO could 
show its relevance  by actively seeking an answer to the question of how trade c ould be part of the 
solution to climate change. To respond  to climate change and revive the world economy, the need 
to focus on concrete action  and accelerate the green transition  was underlined . Referring to the 
Statement, mention was made of environmental sustainability being a central issue for the WTO 
agenda  and the importance of international trade and trade policy in support ing environmental and 
climate goals.  
2.5.  A number of Members said that they would have preferred different or more ambitious 
language, including with regard to trade in environmental goods and services . However,  they noted  
that a process of this nature require d compromise and flexibility, and underscored the importance  
of arriving at an inclusive Statement that be tter articulate d the interests and concerns of a large 
number of Members, including developing Members.  Members highlighted the importance of 
attracting new Members as co -sponsors, in particular developing countries , to send a strong political 
signal and f acilitate an even richer dialogue. It was underlined that  developing countries , by 
participating in TESSD, could steer the discussion to focus more on their challenges and priorities. 
It was  also noted that the Statement did not commit Members to participa te in any negotiations.  
2.6.  A few Members , recognizing improvements made, provided further editing suggestions. 
Suggestions, inter alia , include d to add reference s that sustainability was composed of a balance of 
environmental, social and economic dimensions , and the need of trade and environmental 
agreements to be mutually supportive . A Member highlighted  that any dedicated discussion on the 
interaction between climate change and trade should take into account the principles of M ultilateral 
Environmental Agreements  (MEAs) such as the UNFCCC  principle of common but differentiated 
responsibilities and respective capabilities  (CBDR–RC), together  with the relevant WTO rules related 
to preventing disguised restrictions on trade  and taking measures  in a least trade -restrictive way . 
Only by t aking into account both, WTO principles and MEA principles , it would be possible to obtain 
a clear picture  of the tools available to respond to climate change in a balanced way.  
2.7.  A Member  underscored that TESSD w as not a platform for negotiations ; its aim was to provide 
a space for dialogue and discussion on trade and environmental sustainability, complementing work 
in the Committee on Trade and Environment. The Member suggested that in order to encourage 
more Mem bers to join TESSD, the Statement could provide an explicit invitation  in this respect as 
well as highlight the exploratory and collaborative nature of TESSD.  These two elements were 
founding pillars of TESSD  as they were  included in  the Communication on Trade and Environmental 
Sustainability ( WT/CTE/W/249 ) that  had launched TESSD in November 2020: " 7. We encourage all 
WTO Members to join our open effort to enhance environmental sustainability in international trade 
and actively parti cipate in this work. Nothing in this communication compels any supporter to join 
any environmental -sustainability initiative at the WTO ". The Member reiterated its openness to 
engage and work closely with all WTO Members on how the WTO c ould contribute to the promotion 
of sustainable development.  INF/TE/SSD/R/5  
 
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  2.8.  Another Member emphasized that discussions  on climate change mitigation and adaptation 
should be in the context of technological and innovative advancements, and should take into account 
Members ' circumstances  and priorities  in their  paths towards just transitions and making progress 
towards achieving the SDGs.  The Member also requested to include a reference to circularity  in the 
Statement , which provide d a holistic and inclusive approach to both materials and emis sions with a 
view to reduce waste and transform  waste to value.  The term c ircularity would encompass both the 
circular economy and the circular carbon economy . The Member further expressed its concern 
regarding references to green technology transfer and f ossil fuel subsidy reform, and suggested to 
use the term market distortions in the context of impacts of subsidies.  
3  STAKEHOLDER VIEWS AND PERSPECTIVES  
3.1.  Stakeholder representatives commended the efforts of co -sponsors on arriving at a balanced 
Statement tha t found common understanding and pathways for future work on environmental 
sustainability. They welcomed the revised  draft, which reflect ed different interests and would enable 
more environmentally sustainable trade that would have positive outcomes for li velihoods, the 
environment and economic development. Stakeholders expressed their appreciation for Members' 
consideration of their views and suggestions for the draft Ministerial Statement,  as well as for the  
open and transparent approach taken by the TESSD initiative.  
3.2.  It was  noted that the Statement could include : a greater focus on possible  actions to reach 
biodiversity targets and support the sustainable use natural resources; more explicit commitments 
to support the implementa tion of MEAs  and the SDGs while reflecting the challenges, opportunities 
and priorities of developing countries; and a recognition of the need to systematically consult with 
environmental ministries and stakeholders.   
3.3.  Stakeholders welcomed r eferences to fa cilitating access to environmental goods and services , 
as well  work to promote sustainability standards and sustainable supply chains. Examples of o ngoing 
initiatives involving the private sector to incentivize the development of sustainability in supply 
chains and reduce commodity -driven deforestation were provided to illustrate the power of coalitions 
and engagement with stakeholders. A stakeholder highlighted t he importance of redirecting  funding 
from environmentally and socially harmful projects to  green initiatives promoting climate change 
adaptation and mitigation. Trade was considered to be able to play a key role in reducing fossil fuel 
subsidies and helping to achieve a resource -efficient circular economy.  
3.4.  A number of stakeholders encouraged TESSD co-sponsors to continue their outreach efforts 
and add more developing Members , in particular countries  in Africa , least developed countries (LDCs)  
and small island developing states (SIDS) . It was considered important to attract a large number of 
co-sponsors, possibly 100, to reflect the diversity of the WTO's Membership , and to reflect 
developing countries' priorities and interests in TESSD's work. These stakeholders also suggested 
that participants in the Structured Discussions should view MC12  as a stepping  stone  with 
opportunities for co -sponsors to shape the direction and outcomes of future work.  
4  UPDATE ON EVENT PLANNED FOR MC12  
4.1.  The Coordinators informed Members that they were planning an event on the margins of MC12 
to present the Statement. To ensure maximum impact, they had been working with the coordinators 
of IDP and Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform to hold a single event for all three environmental initiatives.  
The aim w ould be to have participation from stakeholders who have been engaged in the t hree 
initiatives, as well as an opportunit y to hear from Ministers.  Once the date and time were confirmed, 
invitations  would be sent out to co-sponsors with more detail s on the event.  
5  CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE COORDINATORS   
5.1.  Ambassador Stephen de Boer (Canada) and Ambassador Gloria Abraham Peralta (Costa Rica ) 
thanked Members for their engagement and welcomed China and the United  States as  the most 
recent TESSD co -sponsors. The Ambassadors reiterated their invitation to current non -cosponsors 
to join TESSD and contribute to its constructive future work.  
5.2.  Ambassador de Boer of Canada reiterated that the draft Ministerial Statement would serve as 
a solid foundation for  Members' work in TESSD post -MC12. He noted that an intensification of efforts 
was needed for growing the number of co -sponsors. This would bring new voices into the INF/TE/SSD/R/5  
 
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  conversation and help strengthen TESSD as a  place to generate ideas and solutions  to addre ss 
pressing environmental challenges facing the world.  
5.3.  Ambassador Abraham Peralta shared her own country's experience as a developing country in 
tackling interlinked environmental and economic  challenges. She highlighted that the efforts of 
Costa  Rica in addressing deforestation had provided opportunities for economic, social and 
environmental development, which could serve as an example for other developing countries. She 
further noted that developing countries could play an important role in TESSD by sha ring experiences 
of nature -based solutions, environmental services and management of natural resources. She 
concluded by noting that the Ministerial Statement w ith stabilize d text would be circulated shortly.  
 
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