UNCTAD Trade, Environment and Development

Inter-organizational cooperation

There has been close co-operation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In the preparation of the upcoming Expert Meeting on Systems and National Experiences for Protecting Traditional Knowledge, Innovations and Practices, the UNCTAD secretariat has been closely cooperating with World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and the Commission on Biological Diversity (CBD) secretariats.

UNCTAD also acts as task manager on trade, environment and sustainable development for the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD).

The UNCTAD secretariat cooperated closely with ISO in the preparation of the Expert Meeting on ISO 14000 standards.

It also maintains close relations with various groups in civil society, such as the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development (FIELD), the Business Council for Sustainable Development, Third World Network, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS), the International Council on Metals and the Environment (ICME), and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Mr. Rubens Ricupero, Secretary-General of UNCTAD and a former Minister for the Environment and Amazonian Affairs of Brazil, is a member of the WWF Panel on Trade and Sustainable Development. The private sector is involved as well in seminars and workshops dealing with trade and environment matters. Similarly, members of the UNCTAD secretariat participate in a large number of civil society activities.

United Nations Environment Programme

UNEP-UNCTAD CO-OPERATION ON CAPACITY BUILDING ON TRADE, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

UNEP and UNCTAD have been co-operating on Trade and Environment, in the context of a Memorandum of Understanding that came into effect in July 1997. Co-operation has focused on the exchange of information and analysis, briefings and capacity building activities. UNCTAD has actively co-operated with UNEP in promoting case studies on the environmental effects of trade liberalization and structural adjustment policies. UNEP and UNCTAD are aiming to intensify their co-ordination and co-operation, in particular in the context of preparations for forthcoming events. These include the WTO Ministerial Meeting in Seattle (November/December 1999), UNCTAD X (February 2000) and the eight session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (April 2000) which inter alia considered Trade/Investment under its agenda item on cross-sectoral issues.

In the context of future trade negotiations, UNCTAD and UNEP have set up a joint task force called the CBTF - Capacity Building Task Force, to help strengthen capacities in developing countries to promote trade expansion in an environmentally friendly manner. A website is now available at www.unep-unctad.org/cbtf .

United Nations Development Programme

UNCTAD and UNDP have been cooperating on issues related to trade, environment and sustainable development since 1992, in particular through country case studies. The two institutions have also collaborated in preparing a report on capacity-building in trade and sustainable development as part of UNDP's CAPACITY 21 series of monographs. This monograph has now been published by UNDP.

The pioneering UNCTAD/UNDP project has supported conceptual and empirical studies on trade and sustainable development that have helped to enhance understanding of the complex linkages. It has also helped to promote dialogue between trade, environment and development communities and to develop better understanding of the opportunities and challenges for improved policy coordination at the national level. The UNCTAD/UNDP cooperation has helped to generate significant donor support for related projects implemented by UNCTAD. In addition, the conclusions and recommendations of these projects are being followed up by UNCTAD/UNDP country projects aimed at strengthening trade and environment policy co-ordination at the national level, involving various government ministries as well as civil society.

Building on the results of this collaborative work, UNCTAD and UNDP are developing a new joint programme on technical assistance for capacity-building aimed at avoiding conflicts and strengthening synergies between trade and sustainable development. The main objectives of the programme are:

to promote empirical and policy-oriented research on trade and sustainable development in the context of globalization and trade liberalization;
to support the effective participation of developing countries in multilateral deliberations at the WTO and the UN; and
to strengthen national capacities to coordinate trade and environment policy-making aimed at achieving sustainable development objectives in the context of globalization and trade liberalization.

World Trade Organization

UNCTAD is an observer at the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE). The UNCTAD secretariat closely coordinates its activities with the WTO secretariat. UNCTAD's conceptual and empirical work is frequently referred to in the background papers prepared for the CTE and in its discussions.

Co-operation between the secretariats is taking place in the context of a global arrangement between the WTO and the United Nations as a whole concluded on 29 September 1995.

In addition, specific arrangements between the secretariats of WTO and UNCTAD have been pursued within the global framework of co-operation between the WTO and the United Nations. In November 1995, the Director-General of the WTO and the Secretary-General of UNCTAD, given the strong complementarity between the WTO and UNCTAD, agreed to strengthen their working relationship and improve synergies between the two secretariats. This has been pursued for the immediate benefit of their members and the best use of their human and financial resources.

With regard to the specifics of arrangements between the two organizations, the Director-General of the WTO and the Secretary General of UNCTAD agreed that they "would chair biennial meetings between their senior staff to further co-operation and develop synergies, especially in the areas of research, trade and investment, trade and competition, trade and environment, and trade and development. They would also work for greater complementarity in technical co-operation between the WTO, UNCTAD and ITC, and would also endeavour to expand joint efforts with other agencies, whether in the UN system, the Bretton Woods Organization, or regional bodies". (See the minutes of the Meeting of the General Council of 15 November 1995)

In the last few years, there have been a series of meetings of senior staff of the two organizations. There has also been close co-operation in the areas of research and technical co-operation. In the specific area of trade and environment, UNCTAD and WTO staff have been co-operating through the exchange of information as well as informal meetings between staff members of the two organizations. The WTO secretariat has participated in and provided resource persons for several seminars organized by UNCTAD.

The secretariats of the two organizations will continue, as appropriate, their co-operation, in particular through informal staff meetings and co-operation on capacity building, especially in the context of the WTO Ministerial Meeting in Seattle and future trade negotiations, UNCTAD X, as well as the eighth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, which will inter alia consider the theme Trade/Investment, under its agenda item on cross-sectoral issues.