Adapting to climate change and mitigating its impact: the role of trade policies

Trade is key for economic growth and an essential component of any food security strategy. In many countries, there is significant potential for increasing agricultural production at a relatively low cost. For other countries with different production costs, supplying all their own food needs could be prohibitively expensive. Generally, every country has a comparative advantage in some goods and services, and all countries could potentially gain when engaging in trade. With climate change expected to alter the comparative advantage of agriculture across regions and countries, trade has an important role to play in facilitating both short- and long-term adaptation.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Responsible Consumption and Production

Zero Hunger

Climate Action