Climate change and trade: what policies for environmental goods and services?
Carlos Correa, Executive Director, South Centre
International conference on “Climate Change and Sustainable Development”
26-27 March 2022, Cairo, Egypt
While the importance of protecting the environment in the context of trade policies is firmly recognized, a key question is the extent to which trade disciplines aimed at protecting the environment can reach their intended or declared objectives and affect the trade interests and economic growth prospects of developing countries. Developing countries are also among the most affected by climate change and, hence, they have a major interest in international action to address it. However, the intensification of environmental threats faced by developing countries is not of their making, and advancing an agenda -with no evidence that it would lead to reduced emissions- is likely to just disadvantage the developing world which has the least responsibility historically for today’s climate-related damages. Given this history, as well as the tight external constraints imposed on their efforts to mobilize resources, developing countries cannot be expected to either successfully mitigate climate change or adapt to climate change, without significant financial and technological support. The South Centre has been assessing the policy implications that the initiatives on trade and environmental sustainability will have for the Global South.
SOUTH CENTRE STATEMENT FOR CBD SBSTTA AGENDA ITEM ON BIODIVERSITY AND HEALTH
The draft Global Action Plan on Biodiversity and Health should support mainstreaming biodiversity and health linkages in national policies, strategies, programmes and accounts.
The South Centre suggests the following amendments to the draft Action Plan on Biodiversity and Health to ensure consistency with the objectives of the Convention and the Nagoya Protocol with regard to fair and equitable benefit-sharing…
STATEMENT OF THE CHAIPERSON OF THE SOUTH CENTRE BOARD, THABO MBEKI: COUNCIL OF MEMBER STATES, 24 FEBRUARY 2022
Once again the health, economic and social crisis caused by COVID-19 forces us to hold this meeting virtually. The deterioration of the situation in developing countries, to which I alluded two years ago, has only worsened. The gap between the countries of the North and the global South has widened. The lack of solidarity and selfishness of the countries of the North has led to the inequality in access to vaccines that we all know today.
If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it is that we must completely rethink the value we place on the health sector. The billions needed to prevent and respond to health crises are nothing compared to the billions lost in business closures, job losses and economic paralysis that are the cost to the global economy of a health emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic.
The South Centre, in this second year of the pandemic, has continued to adapt and innovate in its ways to support and accompany developing countries in this challenging context.
Impact of a Minimum Tax Rate under the Pillar Two Solution on Small Island Developing States
Deadline: 15 March 2022
Pillar Two will end the race to the bottom in tax matters as allowed by the absence of a minimum global tax, likely affecting many financial services in some developing countries, removing the option for them to rely upon tax competition as an economic model. Hence, there is a need to understand how the Pillar Two rules are going to affect developing countries, particularly in small islands developing States where a large portion of their economies rely on tax-related financial services. It is necessary to consider development strategies aiming to deal with the potential disruptions and job losses posed by Pillar Two. These development strategies must provide pathways through which these countries can ensure employment opportunities to their people that require similar skill sets from some soon-to-be redundant segments of the financial industry. These can also highlight future financial sectors with potential where these countries can consider exploring/reorienting to benefit their economies.
Accordingly, this call for papers invites analysis on the effects of Pillar Two inSmall Island Developing States that are Member States of the G-77+China. The proposals can either provide generalized suggestions for a whole set of countries or provide customized advisory for individual countries.
This call invites established scholars, early career academics, PhD students and practitioners (policy makers, tax officials, lawyers) across multiple disciplines to submit abstracts.
Oral Statement of the South Centre for the Regional Consultation on Sustainable Development and the ICESCR
Geneva, 8 February 2022
The following statement is delivered by the South Centre during the consultation convened by the Drafting Group of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights for the development of a General Comment on Sustainable Development and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Palabras de Germán Velásquez al recibir « LA ORDEN DEL CONGRESO DE COLOMBIA » otorgada por el Senado de la República
Cartagena de Indias, 26 de Enero del 2022
“EL TEMA CENTRAL DE MI LUCHA EN LOS ULTIMOS 15 AÑOS ES QUE UN MEDICAMENTO QUE PUEDE SALVAR UNA VIDA NO PUEDE SER EL OBJETO DE UN MONOPOLIO PROTEGIDO POR UNA PATENTE… ES POR ESO QUE YO PIENSO Y CREO QUE LAS VACUNAS Y TRATAMIENTOS PARA LA COVID 19 DEBEN SER CONSIDERADOS COMO UN BIEN PUBLICO COMUN.”
South Centre Statement to the WHO Executive Board 150th Session
The South Centre, the intergovernmental organization of 54 developing countries from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, considers that key outcomes from the work of the 150th Executive Board should include…
Call for Papers for LEAD Journal Special Issue 2022
PLANETARY HEALTH IN TIMES OF CONVERGING CRISES – CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
The Law, Environment and Development Journal (LEAD) Journal Special Issue 2022 will reflect on environmental issues in the context of the Stockholm Conference’s 50th anniversary and the COVID-19 crisis.
Local Consultant – Sectoral Policy Advisor for the Enhancement of the GCF Portfolio in Lebanon
Lebanon’s Green Climate Fund Readiness Project
Application should be sent in English at applications(at)southcentre.int (stating ‘Sectoral Policy Advisor – Lebanon, in the subject) no later than CET 24.00 hrs. on December 21, 2021.
Local Consultant – Private Sector Networking Officer
Lebanon’s Green Climate Fund Readiness Project
Application should be sent in English at applications(at)southcentre.int (stating ‘Private Sector – Lebanon in the subject) no later than CET 24.00 hrs. on 21 December 2021.
