Summary

The Peterson Institute held a symposium on "A Sustainable Energy Trade Agreement," November 7, 2011, cosponsored with the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). Their proposal for a sustainable energy trade agreement (SETA) offers a promising new way to mobilize the trading system to mitigate the effects of climate change, an urgent challenge in light of the impasse over the Doha Development Round. The symposium explored some exciting new avenues for trade and the global environment in the post-Doha world.

C. Fred Bergsten, director of the Peterson Institute; Richard Samans, executive director of GGGI; and Ricardo Melendez-Ortiz, CEO of ICTSD, led off the symposium. Mr. Melendez-Ortiz then presented his concept paper; "Facilitating Climate Change Mitigation." Ethan Zindler, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, summarized the world energy outlook, and PIIE Senior Fellow Gary Clyde Hufbauer presented findings on tariff barriers that limit trade in renewable energy products. A panel of distinguished speakers explored issues in wind and solar energy, biofuels and ethanol, and the role of Brazil, India, China, and South Africa. Afternoon sessions focused on the prospective relation of SETA to the World Trade Organization and existing regional and bilateral free trade agreements, and considered next steps.

Event Materials

Audio | Video

Agenda

Introduction	C. Fred Bergsten, Peterson Institute for International Economics Richard Samans, Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Ricardo Melendez-Ortiz, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICSTD)
World Energy Outlook	Ethan Zindler, Bloomberg New Energy Finance
Concept Paper	Ricardo Melendez-Ortiz, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICSTD)
Trade and Tariffs	Gary Clyde Hufbauer, Peterson Institute for International Economics presentation [pdf]
Panel: Sector Issues and Brazil, India, China, and South Africa (BICS)
Wind Energy	Peter C. Brun, Vestas presentation [pdf, 1.6 MB]
Solar Energy	Shayle Kann, GTM Research presentation [pdf, 1.4 MB]
Biofuels and Ethanol	Amy Porges, Law Offices of Amelia Porges PLLC presentation [pdf]
Interest of the BICS	Paulo Sotero, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Keynote address	Compatibility of SETA, WTO, and FTAs James Bacchus, Greenberg Traurig LLP
New SETA Issues: Services - Government Procurement – Standards
	Timothy J. Richards, GE Energy presentation [pdf, 5.8 MB]
Overview and Next Step	Richard Samans, Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)