Industrial Policy and Trade: Key developments to watch
This webinar took stock of current debates on industrial policy and trade, highlighting the key issues to watch in 2026. Ahead of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), panelists explored how industrial strategies are reshaping trade relations and cross-border spillovers.
About the Event
Industrial policy has returned to the center of global economic and trade debates. Governments are using a range of tools not only to drive economic development, but also to support green transformation, industrial decarbonization, supply chain resilience, and new technologies. While these strategies aim to advance environmental and digital transitions, they also raise concerns about trade distortions, geopolitical fragmentation, and unequal access to green value chains, particularly for developing and least developed countries.
This webinar explored the intersection of industrial policy and trade ahead of MC14. Panelists reviewed key policy trends in major economies, examined how industrial strategies are reshaping trade relations, and assessed the implications for international trade rules and cross-border spillovers.
Key questions for discussion included:
- What is driving the renewed use of industrial policy?
- Which sectors are currently most affected by industrial policy tensions, and which may face challenges next?
- How are developing and least developed countries affected by the new wave of industrial policies?
- What key developments in industrial policy and trade can we expect in 2026, at the WTO and beyond?
Panel
Moderator:
- Alice Tipping, Director, Trade and Sustainable Development, IISD
Kick-off remarks:
- Aaron Cosbey, Senior Associate, IISD
Panelists:
- Dr. Sofia Boza, Associate Professor, University of Chile
- Dr. Harry Wardana, Lecturer and Researcher, Adelaide University
For background reading, see the IISD report, An Industrial Policy Renaissance: The challenges and opportunities of going green, which analyzes the resurgence of green industrial policies, their drivers, and their economic, environmental, and trade impacts.
Upcoming events
The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism: Vietnam exporters’ training
This workshop offers Viet Nam-based steel and aluminum exporters practical guidance on meeting their EU CBAM compliance obligations.
Exploring Sustainable Markets and Trade Opportunities for COMESA Countries
This webinar series for COMESA member states, producers, and small and medium-sized enterprises aims to enhance their understanding of sustainability standards and regulatory developments.
Bridging the Gap Between Tax and Investment Communities: Understanding tax incentives in investment laws
Webinar bringing together tax and investment communities to discuss coordination challenges in the design, approval, and oversight of tax incentives.
Fiscal Policy Responses to the Energy Price Shock – Session 2
The second webinar in a two-part Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action series, this event will explore how short-term support measures can protect vulnerable households and businesses while preserving price signals, maintaining fiscal sustainability, and supporting longer-term energy transition objectives.