International trade agreements help shape what governments can do to address climate change. Sometimes, trade agreements hamper and obstruct climate policy. But, if designed sensibly, they also have a role to play in supporting countries’ climate commitments.
However, trade policy rarely features in discussions around climate change.
This project aims to address that gap by convening the world’s first Citizens’ Assembly on Trade and Climate.
In June 2024, the Citizens’ Assembly on Trade and Climate – composed of 59 members of the UK public, selected to represent the UK population – met for a total of 35 hours. Over that time, they considered a range of expert evidence, engaged in discussion, and came up with a series of detailed recommendations for the UK government in response to the key question:
“How should the UK government respond to climate change through its trade policies?”
The UK Citizens’ Assembly on Trade and Climate was jointly run by Queen Mary University of London, the Trade Justice Movement and Mutual Gain.
The two main aims of this project were:
“We the Assembly believe that in the face of an existential climate crisis it is imperative that the UK harness all available trade policy tools to urgently mitigate its environmental impact and promote sustainable development.
The UK government must show world leadership by collaborating with trade partners to develop and apply an approach to policy that is meaningful, balanced and viable.
Our expectation is that the government’s actions will be transparent, binding and enforceable and that it will hold itself and others accountable for benchmarking progress on international climate change responsibilities and maintaining commitments to net zero.
We need to embed our support for UK industries, developing nations and international partners in our efforts towards an equitable and just transition to a greener and healthier planet for all.
We believe that trade policy offers a practical solution to address the climate crisis and we feel strongly that the UK government should use these recommendations to deliver material change.”
This statement should be a starting point for the UK government and opposition, industry and civil society to commit to action, and to use trade policy in the fight against climate change.
The Assembly deliberated on the question: “How should the UK government respond to the climate crisis through trade policy?”. This resulted in 15 recommendations to the UK government. These are summarised here and provided in the final Assembly report:
a. Environmental standards must be agreed to prior to opening any negotiationsb. There must be no provision for Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS).
On this basis, preferential market access will be provided for:
a. Goods with low-carbon manufacturing processesb. Goods with reparability c. Goods with minimal or no impact on the environment
2. The UK should have a set of environmental red lines she asks its new trading partners to sign up to, and engage with existing trading partners to tighten existing environmental chapters. The red lines will include a binding commitment to the Paris Agreement and working towards net zero.
3. The UK government shall review and assess the impact of ISDS in existing trade agreements with a view to ensuring that it does not undermine international climate change commitments.
4. The UK should implement a greenhouse gas tariff based on the lifetime emissions of a product or service.
5. No tariffs should be applied on goods important to the green transition with strategic and industrial exceptions.
6. We support phasing out the use of fossil fuels subsidies by redirecting current UK government fossil fuels subsidies to Green Tech and companies engaged in R&D.
7. Set requirements for the use of fossil fuels subsidies to use for renewable energy development within these companies by 2035- 3rd party NGO to review annually - tax break for hitting targets- tax increase for not hitting targets- target for renewables is 80%
8. The subsidisation of domestic EV infrastructure manufacturers to facilitate the roll out of a UK wide EU network, by 2035.
9. Where appropriate, the government should purchase goods and services that can remain in the circular economy and offset their carbon footprint.
10. Combating climate change using green goods and services, where appropriate, should be a major consideration in government procurement and all procurement involving public funds
11. Government procurement should invest in and reward organisations that prioritise collaboration, innovation and partnership and those that are willing to invest in research and development into combating climate change and sustainable solutions.
12. Government procurement should prioritise the greenest and most cost-effective products and services rather than the cheapest
13. Government purchases should be transparent and published in the public domain.
The UK should implement robust and legally binding environmental standards on products/services
14. Introduce a ‘Right to Repair’ standard on all mature products. We support a standards-based approach to reducing waste, promoting the circular economy and avoiding the dumping of electronic waste in the Global South.
Trade rules are wide-ranging and significantly impact how governments address climate change. The UK government is negotiating trade agreements that, according to their own projections, will increase carbon emissions. This situation emphasises the urgent need for public discussion about the government's competing priorities around trade and climate.
The UK Citizens’ Assembly on Trade and Climate, a joint venture between Queen Mary University of London, the Trade Justice Movement and Mutual Gain, convened a representative citizens' assembly to engage with the question, "How should the UK government respond to climate change through its trade policies?"
In June 2024, 59 participants from across the UK, representing all walks of life, met to consider 35 hours of evidence. Through systematic discussion and deliberation, they agreed upon a statement of action and a series of recommendations for the UK government on using trade policy to combat climate change. This project articulates the priorities of the UK public around trade and climate, addressing a significant gap in current media and political discussions.
The March 2023 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reiterated the urgency of climate action, highlighting that governments are still not doing enough. The High Court recently found that the UK was not meeting its commitments under the Climate Change Act to a legally-binding carbon budget. The IPCC has emphasised the need for all policy tools to achieve the necessary large and rapid emissions reductions. However, UK impact assessments show that new trade agreements signed since Brexit will lead to increased emissions. This project is crucial as part of wider efforts to ensure urgent action in trade policy.
The UK has been reluctant to develop appropriate mechanisms for democratic engagement in trade policy-making. Ordinary people affected by both climate and trade policies are not able to voice their concerns, and their political representatives have little opportunity to influence policy. The UK's lack of public consultation on the environmental impacts of the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement has led to a formal complaint under the Aarhus Convention.
By centering the public's view, this project provides a missing element in UK trade policy. The UK Citizens’ Assembly on Trade and Climate offers a starting point for the UK government and opposition, industry, and civil society to commit to action and use trade policy in the fight against climate change. This project demonstrates the feasibility and value of engaging directly with non-specialist audiences, encouraging the UK to improve its processes for democratic engagement in trade policy.