There is widespread recognition that COP-26 needs raise the bar in terms of action on climate change.

 The interaction between trade and climate policies is critical in this respect. Much of the discussion on trade and climate has been couched in terms of concerns regarding competitiveness and carbon leakage. While important, these discussions tend to overshadow the role and wide ranging contribution trade can make to advancing the climate agenda.

Trade has a critical role to play in stimulating emissions reductions by facilitating access to technology and innovation embodied in goods and services. For the same reasons, it also has a key contribution to make to the often neglected matter of adapting to climate change. Addressing these aspects of the trade-climate interaction will require focused policy action through multilateral and regional initiatives. It will also require a special focus on the priorities of developing countries.

At this event we will draw on the wisdom of a distinguished panel of speakers to identify the policy challenges the trade community needs to tackle in light of COP-26.

• Professor L. Alan Winters. Fellow and Founding Director of the UK Trade Policy Observatory in the University of Sussex. (Moderator).
• Pamela Coke-Hamilton. Executive Director, International Trade Centre, Geneva.
• Aik Hoe Lim, Director, Trade and Environment Division, World Trade Organisation, Geneva.
• Dr. Emily Lydgate, Reader in Environmental Law, University of Sussex.
• Matthew Bell, Director in thePublic Policy practice, Frontier Economics,  former CEO of the UK Committee on Climate Change.