No Place to Discuss the CBAM, not even the WTO

Hopes were high that the WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference that ended on 2 March, would address climate change and trade, including measures like the CBAM. However, like COP28, countries could not agree to its inclusion, with India blocking discussions on what it considered to be a “non-trade issue”.

COP28 and Trade: Will Anyone Say Anything?

Despite climate related trade measures like the CBAM being one of the most controversial climate developments this year, it is still not clear whether they will formally be addressed at COP28. After a sour ending at the Bonn climate talks in June this year, countries still can’t agree whether to even discuss these types of unilateral response measures. Developed countries argue they should be addressed under the WTO, whilst African countries also want it dealt with under the global climate regime.

UAE to Put Trade on COP28 Agenda as Australia Joins Climate Club

The UAE intends to introduce a special focus on trade at COP28, as countries are increasingly using trade to pursue their climate and growth objectives. The decision comes as Australia decides to join the G7’s Climate Club, a group that may increasingly see trade used to disadvantage countries with unambitious targets.

WTO Review of EU Trade Policies highlights significant unease about CBAM

The EU’s CBAM and its other green policies came under fire during the EU’s 15th Trade Policy Review at the WTO. China said it would unfairly penalise developing countries, and Russia complained it would fundamentally challenge the structure of global goods flows and the state of competition.

Corporates Embrace US Subsidies as IMF Cautions Against Climate Protectionism

Energy companies are loving the US’s Inflation Reduction Act that seeks to shore up green technologies and supply chains through various financial incentives and the EU is taking its own measures to respond. However, the head of the IMF has cautioned that these moves may come at a cost to developing countries who have limited capacities to compete.