WTO Trade in Services and Investment Division

The WTO in Geneva, will be hosting on 13 June 2023 from 14:00 to 15:30 a session on Decarbonization: What does it mean for trade in transport services?

As intensifying the fight against climate changes has gained global traction, decarbonization is now at the top of the agenda for the transport sector. Numerous initiatives have been launched or are being considered by national governments, international/regional organizations, and industries with a view to significantly reducing GHG emissions in the transport sector in the next two or three decades. These initiatives are designed to achieve the decarbonization goals by addressing transport demand, transport supply, and the interface between them. Examples in this regard include incentives for electric vehicles, developing low emission design for aircraft and ships, promoting green fuels, increasing investments in green infrastructure, and accelerating digitalization. Decarbonization initiatives in transport involve a wide range of actions from policy making, standard setting, to business innovations and public-private partnerships and thus will have far-reaching implications for the transport sector and beyond. From the trade perspective, decarbonization may impact the structure and dynamics of transport services markets, trade costs and trade flows, investment, as well as transport networks and connectivity. 

In this context, this session brings together experts from the transport industry to share their insights on how decarbonization would transform trade in transport services, what challenges lie ahead for both the industry and policy makers, and what kind of policies can help address those challenges.

Jens Hügel, Senior Adviser - Global Advocacy, will be speaking during this session.