A huge challenge facing us right now in how we deal with the climate crisis, is that Trade and Climate policy are currently pulling in different directions. How do we reconcile trade and climate negotiations?
Green House Think Tank has launched a excellent new report ‘Trade and Investment Requirements for a Zero Carbon Economy‘, which answers the obvious policy question currently ignored by Government on future trade deals: How do we reduce the climate impact of trade?
“Around one third of total global emissions are embodied in goods and services that are traded internationally. The most significant direct impact of global trade is the carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels to power ships, lorries and planes. International aviation and shipping alone emitted 1.24 billion
tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2017. Road transport accounts for just over half of global, trade-related carbon emissions, and the domestic leg of global supply chains.”
The report looks at the necessary principles which must underpin our approach to trade deals. The UK must address the scale of international trade, the
distance goods are transported and the modes of transport used. How do we get to smaller, shorter and slower trade to help achieve zero carbon economies ?
-Globally we must reduce, not increase the amount of internationally traded goods
– We have to shorten supply chains at all levels
– We have to reduce the speed of trade -moving from air freight to shipping, shipping to rail freight.
The report looks at the ‘blockers’ and’ enablers’ to achieve this.
Our previous Green New Deal for the North West report highlighted the key areas that need addressing within the North West – indeed within any economy for focussing on climate action: Energy supply, Industry, Land Use, Buildings and Transport.
This report adds the vital component of what needs to be tackled in terms of trade.
Download the report here: