Announcement of the Launch of Negotiations towards agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability

Check against delivery

First of all, let me thank New Zealand and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Norway is honoured to be part of this initiative.

Norway fully agrees that there is urgent need for action.

Climate change is a serious threat to us all, and we clearly have to step up our efforts.

This means that we must speed up the transformation to low-emission, climate-resilient and sustainable economies.

Environmentally-friendly and climate-friendly technology is part of the solution.

And trade has a crucial role to play.

Negotiating an Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) could be an important step forward.

Removing tariffs and making new ambitious commitments for trade in environmental services are important elements in our vision.

I would like to emphasise that Norway is a firm supporter of a rules-based, multilateral trading system. 

We hope other WTO members will join this agreement in due course.

We look forward to cooperating with Costa Rica, Fiji, Iceland and New Zealand to find productive and constructive ways to use trade to address the climate challenge.