At a high-level meeting on 26 February 2026, the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) marked a significant milestone in aligning international trade with climate goals.
Under the chairmanship of Ambassador Erwin Bollinger of Switzerland, members agreed to a landmark pilot program for the voluntary sharing of information on trade-related climate measures and carbon emissions.
The meeting served as both a strategic stocktake of recent progress and a roadmap for 2026, emphasizing the need for transparency to prevent trade fragmentation as nations implement diverse environmental policies.
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New Pilot Transparency Initiative: Members agreed to begin voluntary information sharing on trade and climate measures, specifically focusing on embedded carbon emissions, starting in June 2026.
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Addressing Carbon Standard Proliferation: China and Japan presented separate proposals to streamline the “patchwork” of global carbon standards, aiming to reduce compliance costs for exporters and prevent market distortion.
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Focus on Developing Nations: A recurring theme was the “development dimension,” with calls from least-developed members for enhanced technology transfer and technical assistance to ensure climate measures do not become barriers to market access.
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Synergy with COP30: The committee received briefings on the outcomes of COP30 in Belém, including updates on the Integrated Forum on Climate Change and Trade (IFCCT) led by Brazil and Australia.
The session concluded the two-year tenure of Ambassador Erwin Bollinger. In his final report, the Ambassador praised the effectiveness of recent thematic sessions on sustainable agriculture and the energy transition.
“These formats have facilitated candid exchanges and peer learning,” noted Ambassador Bollinger. “They have been vital in building a shared understanding of how trade policy can actively support global environmental targets.”
Two major technical proposals were debated to address the complexity of modern trade:
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China (WT/CTE/W/270): Proposed a mapping exercise of existing carbon standards to avoid duplication and suggested a technical session for the upcoming Trade and Environment Week in June.
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Japan (WT/CTE/W/271): Introduced a standardized template for reporting climate-related trade measures. Japan emphasized that this tool is designed to assist transparency without altering members’ existing WTO rights or obligations.
The WTO Secretariat also unveiled the 2024 Environmental Database (EDB) Report, which provides a deep dive into trade policy tools specifically related to waste management and recycling. To support these initiatives, the Secretariat reaffirmed its commitment to providing technical assistance and national workshops for developing nations throughout 2026.
