Trade
IISD has been working on international trade for over two decades, analyzing the issue from multiple perspectives: scientific, economic, fiscal, legal, social, and environmental.
At the intergovernmental level, IISD has a long history of working on reforms to the World Trade Organization’s rules and members’ ability to engage in those processes. IISD has also built an extensive body of work on regional and plurilateral trade agreements, as well as the interlinkages between multilateral environmental agreements and the trading system.
At the sectoral level, we have explored options for new industrial policies functioning within a rules-based system; innovative financing for sustainable infrastructure; border-carbon adjustment measures; and whether trade can accelerate the transition to renewable energy sources, improve food security, and eliminate harmful fisheries subsidies and fossil fuel subsidies. Our work also unpacks the relationship between voluntary sustainability standards and trade, as well as the role of trade in contributing to the circular economy.
IISD's work in this area is backed by robust research and policy analysis, along with regular engagement with the varied stakeholder communities involved in and affected by trade and trade policy. A core part of this engagement involves our work to promote transparency and support informed trade conversations.
We feature in-depth commentary and analysis in Investment Treaty News, the Global Subsidies Initiative, the SDG Knowledge Hub, and the Trade and Sustainability Review. We hold webinars on issues at the heart of the trade and sustainability nexus, as part of our partnership with the University of Geneva's Faculty of Law.
Our work on trade issues is made possible through the generous support of our funders. These include:
- UK aid from the UK government, including its Trade and Investment Advocacy Fund (TAF2+)
- Pew Charitable Trusts
- German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ)
- Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
- Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Swedish MFA)
- International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (NZ MFAT)
- Government of Finland
Flagship initiatives
Trade and Sustainability Hub
Bringing together communities and stakeholders from around the world to discuss how trade policy can contribute to sustainable development.
Trade and Sustainability Review
A quarterly publication with a focus on the most active policy issues being discussed at the intersection of trade and sustainable development.
Global Subsidies Initiative
A program designed to put the spotlight on subsidies and the corrosive effects they can have on environmental quality, economic development, and governance.
Trade Events
Fisheries Subsidies That Contribute to Overcapacity and Overfishing: A review of key concepts and data
The objective of this workshop is to complement official discussions of the WTO by providing additional detail on the history of the fisheries subsidies negotiations, in order to inform delegations’ deliberations about how best to proceed.
The WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement: Implications and support for implementation in Latin America
The objective of this workshop is to complement official discussions of the WTO by providing additional detail on the history of the fisheries subsidies negotiations, in order to inform Latin American delegations’ deliberations about how best to proceed.
Fisheries Subsidies That Contribute to Overcapacity and Overfishing: A review of the science and key decisions in the WTO negotiations
The objective of this workshop is to complement official discussions of the WTO by providing additional detail on the history of the fisheries subsidies negotiations, in order to inform delegations’ deliberations about how best to proceed.
The WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement: Launch of IISD’s self-assessment tool for implementation
This hybrid launch event for WTO members aims to introduce the new self-assessment toolkit that governments can use to support their efforts to implement the new fisheries subsidies agreement at home.
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Experts
Nathalie Bernasconi-Osterwalder
Vice-President, Global Strategies and Managing Director, Europe
Sofia Baliño
Senior Manager, Communications & Engagement
Ieva Baršauskaitė
Senior Policy Advisor
Steffany Bermúdez
Policy Analyst
Facundo Calvo
Policy Analyst, Trade and Agriculture
Liesbeth Casier
Lead, Public Procurement and Sustainable Infrastructure Policy and Coordinator of the NBI Global Resource Centre
Aaron Cosbey
Senior Associate
Tristan Irschlinger
Policy Advisor, Fisheries Subsidies
Rashmi Jose
Senior Policy Advisor
Elena Kosolapova
Senior Policy Advisor, Tracking Progress
Cristina Larrea
Lead II, Sustainability Standards
Tom Moerenhout
Associate
Sandra Polaski
Senior Fellow
Florencia Sarmiento
Policy Analyst
Ronald Steenblik
Senior Fellow
Alice Tipping
Director, Trade and Sustainable Development
Scott Vaughan
Senior Fellow
Vivek Voora
Senior Associate
Lynn Wagner
Senior Director, Tracking Progress
Latest
Trade-related topics
Investment Law & Policy
How can we ensure developing economies attract international investment that promotes sustainable development?
Subsidies
Fossil fuel subsidies make little sense in a world shifting to low-carbon sources of energy to tackle climate change.
Standards and Value Chains
Voluntary sustainability standards contribute to biodiversity conservation, poverty reduction, and gender equality.
Governance and Multilateral Agreements
The frameworks that govern economies and our ecosystems touch every aspect of our lives—and have implications for sustainable, inclusive development.
Food and Agriculture
Agriculture is on the front lines of nearly all urgent global challenges, from hunger to climate change to rising inequality.
Circular Economy
In a circular economy, products are designed, produced, and used to reduce waste and regenerate natural systems.