This note provides a historical review of past work undertaken at the WTO on trade and environment issues, and highlights latest development under three trade and environment initiatives: Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD); Informal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Sustainable Plastics Trade (IDP); and Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform (FFSR).

The WTO contributes to environmental conservation and preservation through its mandate of ensuring sustainable development and avoiding protectionism, through work in various WTO bodies, as well as through its rules and enforcement mechanisms. However, given there is no 'special agreement' on the environment, under WTO rules, members can adopt trade-related measures to safeguard the environment provided the conditions to avoid misuse of such measures for protectionist purposes are met.

The trade and environment interface has received greater attention in recent times, including through some plurilateral initiatives among subsets of WTO members. This note aims to provide a brief but comprehensive account of trade and environment issues in the multilateral trading system.

The note is divided into three sections. The first section provides a historical background to the past work undertaken at the WTO at the multilateral level in regard to trade and environment issues. Second section highlights the latest development of the three plurilateral trade and environment initiatives: the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD), the Informal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Sustainable Plastics Trade (IDP), and Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform (FFSR), specifically on the activities and issues discussed within the initiatives. Finally, the third section offers some thoughts for the consideration of developing countries towards their own possible positive agenda on trade and environment, particularly in the run up to the WTO MC12.

Please read the full report here.