Source: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
A new UNEP resource targets Chinese speakers in the transition to a greener economy through international trade.
The report was presented by Mr. Fulai Sheng, Head of the Economic Research Unit at UNEP’s Economics and Trade Branch in Geneva
Beijing, 13 June 2015 – The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is reaching out to Chinese speakers to better explain the links between international trade and the transition to greener economies.
The Trade and Green Economy Handbook, a joint UNEP publication with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), was launched in Chinese by UNEP and the China National Institute of Standardization (CNIS) on June 13 at the 10th Anniversary & Seminar of Energy Efficiency Labelling in Beijing. China is the world’s largest trading nation, with around $2.2 trillion in exports in 2013 according to the WTO.
The Handbook covers a wealth of new information, including the emergence of the Green Economy concept, the latest World Trade Organisation (WTO) jurisprudence and the increasingly important linkages between trade and inclusive Green Economy policies and practices. These developments are considered amid the changing dynamics of international trade with the increased importance of global value chains and the rise of regional trade agreements.
The report was presented by Mr. Fulai Sheng, Head of the Economic Research Unit at UNEP’s Economics and Trade Branch in Geneva, Switzerland. Mr. Sheng explained that the handbook will improve the understanding of trade and Green Economy in the country and encourage businesses to seek new opportunities.
In particular, Mr. Sheng focused on the link between trade and environmental protection and on the new trade opportunities that arise from the transition to a Green Economy. He also reminded the audience that at the Rio+20 conference in June 2012, world leaders reaffirmed “international trade [as] an engine for development and sustained economic growth”, and identified the green economy as “an important tool for achieving sustainable development”.
The event brought together representatives from numerous organisations and stakeholders in Energy Efficiency Labelling in Beijing, including the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of the Chinese Government, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (GAQSIQ), the Certification and Accreditation Administration of China (CNCA), the China Energy Conservation Association (CCECA), the China Consumer Association (CCA), and some select Chinese manufacturers. CNIS translated the handbook from English with support from UNEP and IISD.
The handbook had been launched in English in Geneva on April 28 at a High-Level Panel event, which featured Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP, Arancha González, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC), and Mark Halle, Executive Director of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Europe.
In addition to the Chinese and English versions, UNEP has released the report in French and Spanish. Two new versions in Russian and Arabic will follow, assuring that the report is available in all UN languages for a range of audiences worldwide