The unsustainable patterns of consumption and production, pollution and climate change have aggravated biodiversity loss. This degradation of ecosystems jeopardizes the services they provide, threatening food and livelihood security. Increasing food demand to fuel a global population projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050 continues to incentivize agricultural expansion, converting land and destroying forested areas, which is the main driver of land-use change, responsible for 88% of global deforestation between 2000 and 2018 (FAO 2022).

While evidence increasingly associates trade with negative impacts on agricultural and biodiversity loss, trade and trade policy are uniquely positioned to protect the environment and the ecosystems global economies rely upon. This session will explore, exchange, and identify pathways to leverage trade for supporting sustainable agricultural systems, contributing to the Global Biodiversity Framework targets and mutually supporting inclusive and sustainable development of the sector.