World Trade Organization (WTO)
PLENARY §[:§§IOI\! AT THE SE('.tU:TAHV-GENERAL'S
GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE TR/l,NS!l!ORT CONF:ERENCE
HOSTED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKMENISTAN
ASHGABAT,TURKMENISTAN
26 - 27 NOVEMEH::R 2016
DDG DAVID SHARK
Draft speaking points
1. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRADE AND TRANSPORTATION
• Trade and transp01t are inherently linked, and both are essential drivers of
economic growth and sustainable development. But there is no doubt that
both activities can have harmful environmental effects too, which we
must seek to manage and mitigate. A more equitable and sustainable
global trading system relies on sustainable transport - so the WTO is very
pleased to take pati in this timely and imp01tant conference, and
welcomes the opportunity to strengthen its cooperation with the transp01t
policy community.
• We all have an interest in - and much to gain from - stepping up local,
national, and global effo1ts to make the transport of merchandise trade
more sustainable.
• While the greater part of international trade is cmTently transpo1ted by sea,
the volume of goods shipped by more carbon intensive forms of transport
has been growing rapidly in recent years. And regardless of how goods
are shipped, there is a need to do more to ensure that trade-related
transp01tation is greener and contribute to an inclusive and sustainable
growth.
2 MAl• This is why ongoing efforts to ensure that trade related transportation is
more sustainable are welcome. One should mention in patticular the
major sector-specific multilateral cooperation achievements that have
been made by ICAO with the recent agreement on a new carbon
offsetting and reduction scheme, as well as significant work by IMO to
tackle maritime transportation pollution. The work of these two
organizations exemplifies how various stakeholders and interests can
reconcile their divergences so as to minimize the environmental impacts
oftranspo1iation in a harmonized way.
• Trade and the WTO have an imp01iant role to play in supporting the shift
towards a more sustainable transpo1i sector. Trade can accelerate the
worldwide diffusion of essential goods and technologies that are needed
to make the transp01i sector more energy efficient, and to reduce its
environment footprint. Efforts in the WTO to reduce tariffs on green
goods and technologies would be an important complement to other
global cooperation efforts that seek to promote a more sustainable
transp01iation sector. Also, several WTO forums have a role to play in
providing a forum for exchanging views and best practices on sustainable
transpo1iation, for instance in the context of the discussion of
environment footprint schemes.
• Ce1iain custom barriers that may impede trade flows may also increase the
environment burden of ce1iain aspects of transpo1iation. For example, it is
obvious that having long lines of truck facing needless ba1Tiers to cross
borders is neither good for trade nor the environment. In this vein, the
recently adopted WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement can play a major
role in reducing customs border inefficiencies and delays and, by the
same token, wasteful fuel consumption, unnecessmy air pollution, spread
of invasive species, oil spills and waste sewage.
• Removal of restrictions in transpoti and logistics services can also play a
role in reducing the environmental impact of the sector by allowing
operators to choose the most efficient routes, thus minimizing their
energy consumption.
• Liberalization needs of course to be accompanied by the development of
appropriate regulat01y mechanisms. Regulation is necessary to remedy
market failures, to protect consumer interest and the environment, and to
ensure the safety of good and services supplied. Good regulation is often
the key to successful liberalization, just as trade disciplines of
transparency and non-discrimination are key to good regulatory practices.
• To conclude, there are many synergies between a cleaner, more sustainable
global transp01i sector and a vibrant, development oriented trading
system. I know that we will all be working to realize those synergies -
and I think we are taking an imp01iant step here today.
GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE TR/l,NS!l!ORT CONF:ERENCE
HOSTED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKMENISTAN
ASHGABAT,TURKMENISTAN
26 - 27 NOVEMEH::R 2016
DDG DAVID SHARK
Draft speaking points
1. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRADE AND TRANSPORTATION
• Trade and transp01t are inherently linked, and both are essential drivers of
economic growth and sustainable development. But there is no doubt that
both activities can have harmful environmental effects too, which we
must seek to manage and mitigate. A more equitable and sustainable
global trading system relies on sustainable transport - so the WTO is very
pleased to take pati in this timely and imp01tant conference, and
welcomes the opportunity to strengthen its cooperation with the transp01t
policy community.
• We all have an interest in - and much to gain from - stepping up local,
national, and global effo1ts to make the transport of merchandise trade
more sustainable.
• While the greater part of international trade is cmTently transpo1ted by sea,
the volume of goods shipped by more carbon intensive forms of transport
has been growing rapidly in recent years. And regardless of how goods
are shipped, there is a need to do more to ensure that trade-related
transp01tation is greener and contribute to an inclusive and sustainable
growth.
2 MAl
more sustainable are welcome. One should mention in patticular the
major sector-specific multilateral cooperation achievements that have
been made by ICAO with the recent agreement on a new carbon
offsetting and reduction scheme, as well as significant work by IMO to
tackle maritime transportation pollution. The work of these two
organizations exemplifies how various stakeholders and interests can
reconcile their divergences so as to minimize the environmental impacts
oftranspo1iation in a harmonized way.
• Trade and the WTO have an imp01iant role to play in supporting the shift
towards a more sustainable transpo1i sector. Trade can accelerate the
worldwide diffusion of essential goods and technologies that are needed
to make the transp01i sector more energy efficient, and to reduce its
environment footprint. Efforts in the WTO to reduce tariffs on green
goods and technologies would be an important complement to other
global cooperation efforts that seek to promote a more sustainable
transp01iation sector. Also, several WTO forums have a role to play in
providing a forum for exchanging views and best practices on sustainable
transpo1iation, for instance in the context of the discussion of
environment footprint schemes.
• Ce1iain custom barriers that may impede trade flows may also increase the
environment burden of ce1iain aspects of transpo1iation. For example, it is
obvious that having long lines of truck facing needless ba1Tiers to cross
borders is neither good for trade nor the environment. In this vein, the
recently adopted WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement can play a major
role in reducing customs border inefficiencies and delays and, by the
same token, wasteful fuel consumption, unnecessmy air pollution, spread
of invasive species, oil spills and waste sewage.
• Removal of restrictions in transpoti and logistics services can also play a
role in reducing the environmental impact of the sector by allowing
operators to choose the most efficient routes, thus minimizing their
energy consumption.
• Liberalization needs of course to be accompanied by the development of
appropriate regulat01y mechanisms. Regulation is necessary to remedy
market failures, to protect consumer interest and the environment, and to
ensure the safety of good and services supplied. Good regulation is often
the key to successful liberalization, just as trade disciplines of
transparency and non-discrimination are key to good regulatory practices.
• To conclude, there are many synergies between a cleaner, more sustainable
global transp01i sector and a vibrant, development oriented trading
system. I know that we will all be working to realize those synergies -
and I think we are taking an imp01iant step here today.