Food and energy shortages: Are trade and investment deals the solution?
The war on Ukraine, the ongoing climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic led to a meltdown of global supply chains and exposed millions of people to food shortages. Today’s hyperglobalised world is highly fragile! The war and the climate crisis also point to the need to accelerate the renewable energy transition by breaking free from fossil fuels.
What is the role of trade policy in this context? Is signing new trade and investment agreements part of the solution? Or can it make things worse?
Round table discussion, 27 April 2022, 16.00–18.00 CET. Watch live here
Seminar: Mexico’s transition from ag biotech to agroecology and challenges from U.S. trade policy
The Mexican government plans to eliminate the use of glyphosate and imports of GMO corn and cotton by 2024 as part of its broader program for food self-sufficiency. U.S. agribusinesses are pushing back, falsely asserting that the new rules violate provisions in USMCA.
This assertion of national sovereignty could enhance biodiversity and human health. Depending on how it is implemented, it could also be an important step in a transition to agroecology. Agroecology encourages systems of food production that look at production, processing, distribution and consumption and consider environmental, socioeconomic, cultural and political contexts. Fundamental to principles of agroecology is respect for basic human rights and the importance of respect for the agency of people.
What does the Mexican experience tell us about how public policy and citizen action can support a transition to agroecology? What policy space is needed to enable those changes, whether in Mexico or the U.S.?
Organized by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) and Asociación Nacional de Empresas Comercializadoras de Productores del Campo (ANEC).
This Trade and poverty has absorbed a large body of research over the last two decades but it has failed to provide a definitive general answer to the question ‘does increased trade reduce poverty?’ This seminar provides an overview of what we know about the relationship between increases in trade and poverty, highlighting policy implications towards ‘inclusive trade’. Institute of Development Studies, Seminar recording, 17-Mar-2022, 64min. Read more here
Webinar: Unpacking South Africa’s Road to Building Back Better, Fairer and Greener The EU’s Green New Deal and its implications for South Africa
Wednesday 6 April 2022: 10:00-12:00 (GMT+2) RSVP: Register in advance for this webinar here
Background The The European Green Deal (EGD) is a is a set of policy initiatives by the European Commission with the overarching aim of making Europe climate neutral by 2050. These policy initiatives aim to make all sectors of the European Union’s economy fit to contribute to the European Union reaching its climate targets by 2030 in a fair, cost-effective and competitive way. The EGD proposes several action plans and initiatives in priority areas, which include energy, land, biodiversity, clean air, sustainable foods and buildings, among others. South African exporters to the European Union will need to adapt to this change, to assure their long-term competitiveness in a changing market. This webinar will look at the EGD and its potential implications for South African trade with the European Union. The particular proposed headline initiative of the EGD in the form of a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism will be covered, while an analysis of potential opportunities to expand trade associated with “environmental goods” products will be discussed.
EDG overview, Ariane Labat, EU Delegation to South Africa.
CBAM implications, Lerato Monaisa, TIPS
Opportunities and risks for South African exporters, Martin Cameron, Trade Advisory
10:40-11:10 Panel Discussion: EDG Trade Impacts for South Africa
Trudi Hartzenberg, Tralac
Karen Bosman, Wesgro
Melisizwe Tyiso, NALEDI
tbc – Agbiz
11:10-11:40 Open discussion (Q&A)
11:40-12:00 Wrap up
About the speakers
Ariane Labat is currently counsellor for climate action, environment and agriculture at the EU Delegation to South Africa, after four years as head of cooperation for the EU Delegation to the Kingdom of Eswatini. Ariane was previously cluster lead mitigation for the EU international negotiation team at the UNFCCC from Cancun to the Paris Agreement; she had further previous assignments as an economist working to unlock sustainable and inclusive growth opportunities in Europe, Latin America and China.
Lerato Valentia Monaisa is an Economist and works in the Sustainable Growth pillar at TIPS. She has a Bachelor of Economics (with a distinction in economics) and Bachelor of Economics Honours (with distinction) from Rhodes University. She has MPhil in Industrial Policy at the University of Johannesburg.
Trudi Hartzenberg is the Executive Director of tralac. She has a special interest in trade-relatedcapacity building. Her research areas include trade policy issues, regional integration, investment,industrial and competition policy.
Martin Cameron is a quantitative economist specialising in quantitative executive decision support modelling, economic impact analysis and engineering management decision support. He has extensive experience in international trade and energy economics.
Wandile Sihlobo is the Chief Economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) and the author of Finding Common Ground: Land, Equity, and Agriculture. Sihlobo is Senior Lecturer Extraordinary at the Department of Agricultural Economics at Stellenbosch University.
Karen Bosman works as a Strategic Research and Public Affairs Officer at Wesgro. Areas o fexperience include international trade and investment law; policy advocacy; export development and international investment promotion and facilitation; strategic communication; legislative and constitutional processes; legislative analysis; regulation of international services trade; regional economic harmonisation; commercial law and litigation. She has a Master’s Degree in International Business and Economic Law from Georgetown University.
Melisizwe Tyiso works as a Researcher at the National Labour and Economic Institute (NALEDI).
About the facilitator
Elize Hattingh is a Sustainable Growth researcher at TIPS. She has been actively involved in promoting the sustainable development agenda for more than 15 years.
Event Details
Date: Wednesday 6 April 2022 Time: 10h00 – 12h00 (GMT+2) RSVP: Register in advance for this webinar here After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with details about joining the webinar.
The Green Recovery Dialogues comprises four webinars
Next Event 6 April – Session 2: The EU’s Green New Deal and its implications for South Africa Past Event: Launch 15 February – Session 1: South Africa’s recovery and stimulus package by global standards – Launch event of the Green Economy Tracker, see details including video of the session here Future Events: Save the dates! 1 June – Session 3: Just transition and South Africa’s recovery and stimulus package 3 August – Session 4: Building Back Better Greener, SMME`s road to recovery
