Telling the trade stories of least developed countries

In 2022, WTO members have the opportunity to move forward on an aid for trade agenda that supports LDCs to tackle pressing challenges at the intersection of trade and sustainability. Given the massive trade-related challenges facing LDCs, the huge gap between needs and available support for a just transition to sustainable trade, and the urgency, scale, and impact of intersecting environmental crises in LDCs, mobilizing additional resources, investments, and partnerships is vital.

Trade is a critical part of on the ground adaptation efforts that must also be considered, specifically local trade amongst small and medium enterprises which are impacted head-on by climate emergencies. We are seeing communities already vulnerable to shocks affected not only in terms of their resources getting destroyed or depleted but also due to a lack of support systems when this happens.

Women are 14 times more likely to die from a climate disaster than men. Despite being face-to-face with the problem, women are often not part of the solution.

Companies have a key role to play in building societal resilience to crises, including the current pandemic and climate impacts, across their value chains. 

Originally published in OECD-Development Matters on 31 January 2020

International Monetary Fund (IMF) economists Martin Kaufman and Papa N’Diaye discuss trade, climate change mitigation and technology in Part II of their interview.

There is urgent need to better understand trade and climate change linkages in the context of least developed countries (LDCs).

Some of the key elements characterising effective adaptation and resilience to climate change are a long-term perspective, coordinated and coherent action, and a socially just and inclusive approach.