Précédemment, dans le document final de la CM12, les Membres de l'OMC ont reconnu les défis environnementaux mondiaux posés par le changement climatique, la perte de biodiversité et la pollution et ont noté l'importance de la contribution du système commercial multilatéral à la promotion du Programme à l'horizon 2030 des Nations Unies et de ses objectifs de développement durable. Ils ont réaffirmé qu'il était important d'apporter un soutien pertinent aux pays en développement et aux pays les moins avancés (PMA) Membres pour assurer un développement durable, et ils ont souligné le rôle du Comité du commerce et de l'environnement (CCE) de l'OMC.

Sur la base du document final de la CM12, les Membres examinent un projet de texte sur le commerce et l'environnement qui devrait être inclus dans la déclaration finale de la CM13 en vue de mieux orienter les travaux de l'Organisation. Ils s'efforcent aussi d'améliorer certaines procédures pour redynamiser le CCE. En outre, pour répondre à l'intérêt exprimé par les Membres concernant la tenue de discussions de haut niveau sur le commerce et l'environnement, une toute première "conversation ministérielle" sur le développement durable aura lieu le premier jour de la CM13.

In addition, three groups of WTO members presented at MC13 the progress they have made with their various initiatives and their work plans for the years ahead: the Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (DPP) which comprises 78 members; the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD), which comprises 76 WTO members; and Fossil Fuel Subsidies Reform (FFSR), which comprises 48 WTO members.

On the final day of MC13 on 2 March 2024, WTO members adopted the Abu Dhabi Ministerial Declaration which includes the following paragraph: "In recalling the objectives in the Marrakesh Agreement and in recognising the role that the multilateral trading system can play in contributing towards the achievement of the UN 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals, in so far as they relate to the WTO mandate, we underscore the importance of trade and sustainable development in its three pillars – economic, social, and environmental."

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in her MC13 closing speech said: "Organizing an interactive dialogue in a Ministerial Conference was an innovation, but it paid off. Ministers had a high demand to freely exchange perspectives, listened to each other, got a better understanding of each other's views and experiences."

MC13 outcomes

At the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13), the co-coordinators of the Dialogue — Australia, Barbados, China, Ecuador, Fiji and Morocco —  issued a Ministerial Statement outlining a set of actions to curb trade in harmful plastics, unnecessary single-use plastics and plastics packaging and to promote substitutes, such as bamboo or algae biomass. Measures already being adopted by WTO members, such as bans on single-use plastics, are reflected in a factual compilation attached to the statement.

The statement also calls for further "concrete, pragmatic and effective outcomes" by MC14. On 3 April, the co-sponsors introduced an updated work plan for building on and implementing the actions outlined in the statement.

The statement also calls for further "concrete, pragmatic and effective outcomes" by MC14. On 3 April, the co-sponsors introduced an updated work plan for building on and implementing the actions outlined in the statement.