14 December 2015: The UN Environment Programme launched a Environment and Trade Hub to help countries use trade and investment as vehicles for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Environment and Trade Hub offers information and technical training to support countries in: producing and trading in environmentally sound technologies (ESTs); pursuing environmental management and sustainable development through trade and investment agreements; enhancing the design and uptake of sustainability standards; and assessing the adverse impacts of trade practices and developing alternative approaches.

UNEP launched the Hub on the sidelines of the Tenth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), taking place in Nairobi, Kenya, from 15-18 December 2015. Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP, referred to trade as “a motor for sustainable development and environmental protection,” noting that African countries account for just 2% of international trade. He said sustainable trade can promote the achievement of the SDGs, affecting food security and sustainable agriculture, sustainable management of water and sanitation, access to modern energy, and mitigating and adapting to climate change. [UNEP Press Release] [Environment and Trade Hub] [Concept Paper] [WTO Ministerial Conference Webpage]