At the beginning of ths month, following the release of a study by the IMF showing the severely negative climate impact of fossil fuel subsidies, I published an oped in the Toronto Globe and Mail lamenting that "despite the obvious importance both to climate change and competitiveness issues, the WTO has largely avoided addressing the energy sector. (Indeed, energy is not even a trade topic listed on the WTO’s website.)" http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/economy-lab/energy-subsidies-the-ball-is-now-in-the-wtos-court/article10633014/
Now, less than two weeks later, the WTO has made public the plan to hold a workshop on energy, trade, and climate in collaboration with the Energy Charter Secretariat, "the role of intergovernmental agreements in energy policy." A rather abstract, bureaucratic title for an issue so hot and fundamental to the future of the planet. I won't be there because the workshop is on April 29, the date that the second meeting of the panel in the seals dispute opens.(I registered to attend a long time ago.) I guess my absence will be a relief to the relief of atavists in the Secretariat who may be tired of my relentlessly pushing the importance of dealing with energy at the WTO.
But what is really annoying is that, despite the IMF study, they have not even put fossil fuel subsidies on the agenda as a separate presentation topic.
Anyhow, it's a start, which is good. Here is the agenda and registration info: http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/envir_e/wksp_envir_apr13_e/wksp_envir_apr13_e.htm.
