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International Trade Centre (ITC)
United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment)
International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD)
Sustainability standards have emerged in the marketplace for food, textiles and a wide range of consumer goods and services, and their role continues to grow, particularly in emerging markets. This policy brief shows that sustainability standards provide new opportunities to participate in trade where they improve competitiveness of exporters.
 
The paper clarifies that sustainability standards provide consumers with information and assurance about the environmental impact of production and so help build value into certified goods and services. This has a key role to play in helping developing countries transition to a green economy. In addition, these standards are increasingly important in south-south trade, in light of growth of cross-border trade facilitated by regional economic communities.
 
On the other hand, many developing countries are concerned that these standards can be potential non-tariff barriers to trade.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
International Transport Forum (ITF)

Electric vehicles are a potentially significant route towards low-carbon transport but widespread adoption of e-mobility will lead to greater consumption of electricity. Existing electricity systems will need to be reconfigured to meet these needs if reliance on fossil fuels is not to increase. In a paper looking at the potential of Smart Grids and electric vehicles to change and improve electricity systems worldwide, the International Transport Forum found that:

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Sensors and sensor networks have an important impact in meeting environmental challenges. Sensor applications in multiple fields such as smart power grids, smart buildings and smart industrial process control significantly contribute to more efficient use of resources and thus a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and other sources of pollution.

This report gives an overview of sensor technology and fields of application of sensors and sensor networks. It discusses in detail selected fields of application that have high potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reviews studies quantifying the environmental impact.

International Trade Centre (ITC)
United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment)
International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD)
While international transport – aviation and maritime shipping – is an important facilitator and driver of trade, it also contributes significantly to climate change. This paper states that the regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international transport would help mitigate climate change, as well as support a green economy transition.
United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment)
This study highlights opportunities but also the many challenges that Namibia has faces for reducing socio-economic inequalities, maintaining economic growth and achieving a higher level of sustainable use and trade of biodiversity-based products.