To kick start the first Trade Finance TV show of the new decade, we welcome Luke Templeman, Analyst, Thematic Research at Deutsche Bank and the return of Dr Rebecca Harding, CEO of Coriolis Technologies to discuss what climate change-related issues came out of the World Economic Annual Meeting Davos 2020 that could impact global trade.
“The leaders at Davos are accepting that multilateral solutions are required for climate change and trade is a big part of this,” says Templeman.
Harding explains how the multilateral response has been reshaping ever since
the Paris Agreement on Climate Change (albeit with one major non-signatory),
and there is a fragmentation into nationalistic objectives – making it
difficult to re-invigorate the climate change debate.
With some countries, this is galvanising a multinational response. Some blocs will drive the conversation forward. The EU could lead the charge, particularly if it starts to regulate for climate change, as it has 30 % of world trade and a huge amount of power.
Both guests discuss the lower-than-anticipated trade growth and how trading blocs could respond with climate-change focussed regulation and standards. Templeman highlights the dangers of how poorer economic performance – along with recession and unemployment – could threaten the climate change work already completed if populist leaders try to roll back some of the measures.
But there is plenty of scope for optimism – join us on the show to find out more.