Trade

IATP has long been a leader in making sure global agreements protect the rights of farmers around the world. We are active at the United Nations and World Trade Organization and through various bilateral and multilateral agreements to ensure that the rights of farmers to receive a fair price, engage in conservation and sustainable practices, and even just to stay on their land are upheld and respected. We also monitor trade agreements to make sure food safety, environmental safeguards and the rights of farm workers are protected. Visit our Trade & Governance page to learn more. 

A new trade vision for a Green New Deal

The following article was originally published on Business & Human Rights Resource Centre on November 9, 2021. 

UN climate talks must prioritize strong commitments to cut real emissions by 2030, not net zero promises

MINNEAPOLIS/BERLIN—On the eve of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP26), the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) urges the United States and other governments to commit to major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, rather than weak 2050 “net zero” commitments.

Will the CFTC greenlight a carbon emissions’ offset market boom (and bust)?

A recent series of meetings of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) Energy and Environmental Markets Advisory Committee (EEMAC) highlighted the risks of a forecast boom in offset emissions futures contract trading. The underlying assets of offset futures are projects to reduce, avoid or that claim to permanently remove greenhouse gas emissions.

Comments to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on the proposed creation of a carbon markets subcommittee of the Energy and Environmental Markets Advisory Committee

We thank the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC, or Commission) for the invitation to comment on the proposal by the Commercial Energy Working Group to form an EEMAC carbon markets subcommittee.1 The proposed stakeholder group would produce a report on principles for designing the derivatives and underlying cash markets for

Trade agreements and sustainability: innovations and illusions in EU and US agreements

As the climate emergency deepens, governments, civil society, corporations and individuals must pursue multiple paths in order to meet or exceed the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. The Paris Agreement is not self-enforcing, and the commitments of the signatory governments are voluntary.