UNCTAD says trade cooperation can speed climate action at COP31 in Türkiye
UN Trade and Development said trade cooperation can help countries accelerate climate action, cut emissions and strengthen economic resilience, according to its latest Global Trade Update released for COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye. The agency said trade can support a just transition by making climate technologies more affordable, helping economic diversification and improving the ability of developing countries to respond to climate pressures.
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The report said stronger trade cooperation is essential to improve access to climate technologies, especially in developing countries. It cited solar panels, batteries, water management systems and climate-resilient agricultural equipment as key goods for reducing emissions and adapting to climate change.
UNCTAD said international trade can lower costs and speed deployment by moving goods, services, investment and knowledge across borders. UNCTAD also warned that trade barriers can slow climate technology access.
It said tariffs can raise the cost of climate technologies and limit industrial upgrading, while non-tariff measures such as technical regulations, product standards and conformity assessment procedures can add costs and delay deployment if they are not transparent, timely and designed to avoid unnecessary discrimination. The report said trade cooperation frameworks are central to timely diffusion of climate technologies while preserving legitimate public policy objectives.
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The update said only 7% of identified climate-related provisions address reductions in tariff and non-tariff barriers. It added that implementation is uneven: of 174 countries surveyed in 2025, only seven said they were fully implementing trade facilitation measures for green and climate-relevant goods.
UNCTAD said trade agreements should move beyond general commitments and support practical implementation, including access to climate technologies, infrastructure investment and stronger productive capacities.
