The Office of the United States Trade Representative

USTR Schwab to Attend Bali Meeting on Trade and Climate
11/30/2007
 

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U. S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab will discuss trade-related aspects of climate change in a meeting of trade ministers in Bali, Indonesia, December 8-9. 

The meeting of trade ministers from over two dozen countries, hosted by Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Pangestu, will be held in conjunction with the Thirteenth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Bali December 3-14. 

“Trade can be a significant tool in promoting economic growth and sustainable development, including strategies to deal with climate change,” said Ambassador Schwab.  “I look forward to discussing with my colleagues concrete ways in which trade ministers can contribute to and inform climate strategies, particularly related to lowering barriers to trade in environmental goods and services in the WTO Doha Round negotiations.”

The Government of Indonesia issued invitations to the trade and climate dialogue in September.  Trade ministers and other senior trade officials are expected to discuss potential linkages between trade and climate change, contributions trade policies can make to mitigate climate change and ways to ensure that trade and climate policies are mutually supportive.

Background

Senior trade officials from more than two dozen countries are expected to attend the trade and climate change dialogue, including trade ministers from Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea.  Representatives from the UNFCCC, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Trade Organization (WTO), environmental non-governmental organizations and academic institutions have also been invited.

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