E-learning course on climate-smart trade and investment for sustainable development

While countries around the world have undertaken climate action to various degrees in attempt to reach their pledges under the Paris Agreement, according to UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, current projections are not demonstrating the reduction required to meet the goals set by the Agreement by 2030. Climate change as an integral part of the 2030 Agenda needs actions from all areas of society, including that of trade and investment which is both directly and indirectly linked with negative environmental impacts.

This course is designed to explain the complex relationship between trade, investment and climate change and recommend climate-smart policy solutions. The course has been developed based on the joint publication by UNCTAD, ESCAP and UNEP “Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report 2021: Accelerating Climate-smart Trade and Investment for Sustainable Development” to which UNCTAD has contributed in the Chapter 5 on Climate-smart Trade and Transport Facilitation The course discusses a dynamic mix of climate solutions, including trade and transport facilitation, business investment, regional trade agreements, impact estimation, among others.

Course format

The course is jointly developed by UNCTAD, ESCAP & UNEP and conducted as a facilitated online e-learning course. It consists of 7 pre-recorded modules (approximately 15 min each) which are on the following topics:

• M1: Trade, investment, climate change and SDGs: why trade and investment need to be climate-smart?
• M2: State of play: hoe Climate smart is trade and investment in Asia and the Pacific?
• M3: Climate-smart business and investment
• M4: Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs): a tool to promote climate smart trade?
• M5: Climate smart trade and transport facilitation?
• M6: Estimating the policy impacts of a switch to climate smart trade and investment
• M7: Conclusion and recommendations

Two live webinars will also be held, one at the launch on 5 December 2022 and the second one at the closing on 16 December 2022. For each module, the participants are expected to complete the readings first, then watch the recorded video presentations. The participants are then expected to take online quizzes associated with the course material and attend the two live sessions. Two live webinars to discuss the content and ask any clarification questions are offered to participants at the beginning (December 5th, 10-11.30am CET) and end of the course (December 16th, 10-11.30am CET). Upon attending the live sessions, providing feedback, and passing the quizzes, participants will get a certificate of completion for the course.

For more information on the joint publication by UNCTAD, ESCAP* and UNEP**: “Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report 2021: Accelerating Climate-smart Trade and Investment for Sustainable Development”, please visit the online webflyer*** (see related site links below)