Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), emphasized the critical need to triple renewable energy production and double energy efficiency by 2030 to align with the Paris Agreement on climate change. Her remarks came during the recent fifth edition of Trade and Environment Week in Geneva.
“We are at a pivotal moment where trade policies can serve as a powerful catalyst for environmental sustainability, providing essential tools for a people-oriented clean energy transition,” Okonjo-Iweala stated.
She highlighted that addressing current tariff imbalances favoring high-carbon goods over renewable energy equipment could lower costs and encourage the adoption of low-carbon technologies. Additionally, reforming fossil fuel subsidies could drive innovation and reduce emissions.
Okonjo-Iweala suggested that trade policy could be leveraged to align standards and certification processes, creating a stable policy framework essential for deploying renewable energy effectively.
In a video message, Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, underscored the urgent need to combat climate change and the severe impacts of rising temperatures. “We know that greenhouse gas emissions must fall—fast—and never rise again,” she stressed, highlighting the importance of renewable energy in this effort and advocating for responsible, circular approaches to utilizing critical minerals.
Andersen called for trade policies that promote responsible mining, safeguard local communities, and ensure equitable distribution of benefits throughout the value chain.
Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, emphasized the importance of integrating climate information into green energy policies. She noted that coordinated international efforts to share climate data, facilitate technology transfer, and build climate-resilient infrastructure are vital for ensuring the reliability and sustainability of renewable energy systems globally.
Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency, warned that the current pace of change is insufficient to meet global climate targets. Although renewable energy has emerged as the most competitive electricity source worldwide, he pointed out that “the market is still designed for fossil fuels.” La Camera called for immediate reforms, including lowering tariffs on renewable technologies and establishing international standards for environmental goods and services. “If we don’t change rapidly the way we produce and consume energy, the next two COPs will be our last chance to keep the 1.5°C target alive,” he cautioned.
Chile’s Ambassador, Sofía Boza, echoed these sentiments, stating, “Trade and environmental policies not only can coexist but must complement each other to achieve our sustainability goals.” She highlighted the role of trade in facilitating access to vital technologies for clean energy, asserting that the energy transition presents a significant opportunity to diversify the productive base while adding value to exports.
