Environment
Filter :
Language
Publication date
Content type
Series
Authors
Resumen
Las tecnologías solares fotovoltaicas (FV) utilizan células solares para convertir la luz del sol en electricidad. La energía solar FV que se ha desplegado con rapidez es ahora la fuente de generación de electricidad más barata en muchas partes del mundo. El costo de la electricidad generada por las plantas FV disminuyó un 77% entre 2010 y 2018 y la capacidad instalada acumulada de energía solar FV se multiplicó por 100 entre 2005 y 2018. Así pues la energía solar FV se ha convertido en un pilar del sistema energético sostenible con bajas emisiones de carbono que se necesita para promover el acceso a una energía asequible y fiable y para impulsar el logro de las metas del Acuerdo de París y los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible.
The trade implications of a low-carbon economy
The global economy needs to effect wide-ranging and immediate changes to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions sufficiently to limit climate change. This chapter explores how the transition to a low-carbon economy could impact international trade patterns and outlines the role that trade trade policy and international cooperation can play in supporting a just low-carbon transition. Although a low-carbon transition entails short-term investment and adjustment costs it can also provide important economic benefits and opportunities. The WTO has an important role to play in increasing the ambition and viability of climate change mitigation actions.
Acknowledgements
The World Trade Report 2022 was prepared under the general responsibility and guidance of Anabel González and Jean-Marie Paugam WTO Deputy Directors-General and was coordinated by José-Antonio Monteiro and Ankai Xu.
Carbon pricing and international trade
Although different instruments can be used to mitigate climate change carbon pricing has attracted increasing attention. This chapter explores the role of carbon pricing in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and its implication on international trade and trade policies. Carbon pricing puts a price on carbon emissions which can motivate firms and individuals to make more climate-friendly investing and purchasing decisions. While the proliferation of carbon pricing schemes highlights the urgency to tackle climate change they may lead to an unnecessary complex patchwork of domestic and regional schemes. Greater international cooperation is essential to find common solutions to carbon pricing and the WTO remains an appropriate forum to contribute to these efforts.
Introduction
Tackling climate change requires a transformation of the global economy. While limiting consumption and changing lifestyles would help reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero will be impossible without technological and structural change on a global scale. This transformation will involve costs but also opportunities – not just to head off an environmental catastrophe but to reinvent the way the world generates energy manufactures products and grows food. Just as trade helped to drive economic progress in the past – by incentivizing innovation leveraging comparative advantages and expanding access to resources and technologies – trade can play a central role in driving progress towards a low-carbon global economy. But harnessing the potential of trade will demand new policies and more cooperation.
The contribution of trade in environmental goods and services
The transition to a low-carbon economy depends among other things on the development adoption and diffusion of environmental goods services and technologies. This chapter looks at the extent to which trade in environmental goods and services can contribute to the low-carbon transition. Although international trade in environmental goods is uneven across regions the sector is very dynamic. While the WTO agreements ensure that trade in environmental goods and services flows as smoothly predictably and freely as possible the WTO could make an even greater contribution to the development and deployment of environmental technologies by addressing relevant trade barriers and improving data quality on trade and trade policy of environmental goods and services.
Executive summary
Climate change represents a severe pervasive and potentially irreversible threat to people ecosystems public health infrastructure and the global economy. Left unabated it could undo much of the progress made over recent decades in development poverty reduction and prosperity creation. Developing countries – in particular small-island developing states and least-developed countries (LDCs) – are likely to suffer the most due to their greater exposure and vulnerability to climate risks and natural disasters and their more limited capacity to adapt to climate change. Leveraging trade to tackle climate change presents several development and growth opportunities and will require significant policy actions to advance a just transition towards a low-carbon inclusive and resilient future.
Disclaimer
The World Trade Report and its contents are the sole responsibility of the WTO Secretariat except for the opinion pieces written by the external contributors which are the sole responsibility of their respective authors. The Report does not reflect the opinions or views of members of the WTO. The authors of the Report also wish to exonerate those who have commented upon it from responsibility for any outstanding errors or omissions.
The decarbonization of international trade
The transition to a low-carbon economy will require the transformation of many economic activities including international trade. This chapter looks at the extent to which trade contributes to greenhouse gas emissions but also assesses its importance for the diffusion of the technology and know-how needed to make production transportation and consumption cleaner. Although carbon emissions associated with international trade have tended to decrease in recent years bold steps are needed to further reduce trade-related emissions. Greater international cooperation is needed to support efforts to decarbonize supply chains and modes of international transport.
The role of trade in adapting to climate change
While reducing greenhouse gas emissions is essential to limit the consequences of climate change climate change is already having a major impact on the environment people and as a result the global economy. This chapter explores the impacts of climate change on international trade and discusses the role that trade trade policy and international cooperation can play in supporting climate change adaptation strategies. Climate change increases trade costs and disrupts production and supply chains. However trade and trade policies in conjunction with relevant policies and international cooperation can help to alleviate some of the impacts of climate change including on food security by contributing to enhancing economic resilience.
Foreword by the WTO Director-General
Climate change is an existential threat to people’s lives and is dramatically reshaping economic activity and trade. This year alone from the Horn of Africa to China from Europe to the Americas we have seen increasing heat and prolonged drought damage crops and reduce electricity production while low water levels in major rivers have made it difficult to transport industrial and agricultural goods. Severe flooding left a third of Pakistan under water devastating key export crops and putting the country’s food and economic security at risk.
Conclusion
Climate change is having a damaging effect on people the environment and the economy globally. Major economic investment and ambitious policy actions will be required to steer the economy towards a sustainable low-carbon growth trajectory which is necessary to mitigate climate change and adapt to its disruptive and costly consequences. Thus both climate change and climate policies will have significant consequences for international trade and trade policies.
Cadenas de valor mundiales en el sector de la energía solar fotovoltaica
La creación de valor en la cadena de suministro de energía solar fotovoltaica (FV) abarca una amplia gama de bienes y servicios (recuadro 1). Algunos de ellos se suministran a nivel nacional pero muchos otros son objeto de comercio transfronterizo. En esta sección se ofrece un panorama general de las corrientes comerciales mundiales de determinados bienes en la cadena de valor de la energía solar FV. En el análisis se incluyen las máquinas para fabricar obleas («wafers») células módulos y paneles solares FV además de determinados componentes solares FV como los generadores fotovoltaicos los onduladores las células solares FV y cuando proceda las partes necesarias para fabricar algunos de esos productos (véase el apéndice).
Cooperación internacional para una mayor calidad y un mejor comercio
En la actual economía mundial globalizada los sistemas de infraestructura de la calidad no pueden funcionar de manera aislada. La cooperación transfronteriza en materia de infraestructura de la calidad puede ayudar a los Gobiernos a establecer sistemas energéticos sostenibles y al mismo tiempo ayudar a las empresas que forman parte de la cadena de valor de la energía solar FV a aprovechar las oportunidades que ofrece el mercado y evitar costos innecesarios. La cooperación internacional en materia de infraestructura de la calidad adopta diferentes formas desde el reconocimiento mutuo de normas y disposiciones reglamentarias en acuerdos comerciales hasta las asociaciones de cooperación oficial y la armonización de las reglamentaciones. Los planteamientos más adecuados en una situación dada dependen de la compatibilidad de los entornos y sistemas de reglamentación el sector el tipo y el grado de reglamentación ya existente y el nivel de capacidad técnica e institucional de los países de que se trate entre otros factores.
El sector de la energía solar fotovoltaica y la pandemia de COVID-19
La pandemia de COVID-19 ha provocado la crisis sanitaria más grave registrada en muchas generaciones y ha sacudido a las economías del mundo entero. Las energías renovables pueden desempeñar una función doble para ayudar al mundo a recuperarse. En primer lugar pueden contribuir a reforzar la atención de salud y otras infraestructuras públicas fundamentales. En segundo lugar cuando se integran en los planes y estrategias de respuesta para «reconstruir mejor» (es decir para reconstruir las economías teniendo en cuenta los numerosos problemas surgidos a raíz de la pandemia) las energías renovables pueden ayudar a mitigar los efectos económicos de la pandemia de COVID-19 respaldando la recuperación económica impulsando la creación de empleo promoviendo el acceso a la electricidad y la diversificación económica y encauzando al mundo por una senda que no entrañe riesgos climáticos.
La coopération internationale au service de la qualité et dun commerce plus efficace
Dans l’économie mondialisée d’aujourd’hui les systèmes d’infrastructure de contrôle de la qualité ne peuvent fonctionner de manière isolée. La coopération internationale dans le domaine de la qualité peut aider les pays à parvenir à des systèmes énergétiques durables tout en aidant les entreprises de la chaîne de valeur du solaire photovoltaïque à saisir les débouchés commerciaux et à éviter les coûts inutiles. La coopération internationale dans ce domaine revêt différentes formes qui vont de dispositions sur la reconnaissance mutuelle et la réglementation dans les accords commerciaux à des partenariats de coopération officiels et à l’harmonisation des réglementations. La méthode la plus indiquée dans une situation donnée diffère selon la compatibilité des cadres et des systèmes de réglementation le secteur considéré le type de réglementation préexistante et sa portée et le niveau de capacité technique et institutionnelle des pays concernés entre autres facteurs.