Organic cotton from Paraíba arrives at the WTO Forum in Geneva

Francisco Vieira CEO Natural Cotton ColorFrancisca Vieira, CEO of Natural Cotton Color – sustainable fashion – has accepted the invitation to participate in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Public Forum, which will be held from October 2 to 4 at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. “Trade 2030”.
Francisca will present the case of Natural Cotton Color in the panel “Trade and climate change: can we create a structure of mutual support?”. Her task is to contribute to the debate on sustainable trade in the future.

Paraíba Organic Cotton is aligned with the proposals Agenda 2030

As a member of the Management Committee of the Local Productive Arrangement of Colored Cotton Garments and Crafts of the State of Paraíba, Francisca should explain how the production chain of Paraíba Organic Cotton is aligned with the proposals of the UN Agenda 2030 – the so-called Sustainable Development Objectives – SDO with emphasis on poverty eradication (SDO1), food security and sustainable agriculture (SDO2), gender equality with the full participation of women (SDO 5), promotion of work in association and inclusive economic growth (SDO 8), among others.

Sustainable trade and global markets

The expectation is to discuss business opportunities within a parameter of inequality when it comes to trade in products between rich and poor countries. It is a fact that the USA, China and EU Member States are investing and implementing climate policies in the wake of the Paris Agreement (in 2015, 195 countries committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to reduce the temperature of the earth). And, since trade is a two-way road, these countries will demand the same in trade. However, our Brazil is still far from reaching the goals it has committed to under the UN 2030 Agenda.

“With the abolition of social programs and income transfers and the adoption in 2016 of Constitutional Amendment 95 – which limits the increase in public spending for the next 20 years – there will be problems with the eradication of poverty. Imagine, then, the difficulty in the production and certification of organic colored cotton? “ questions Francisca.

In the case of colored cotton, without the stamp that certifies that the product is organic, it is impossible to produce sustainable fashion and achieve a fair price for the farmer and the company.

States signatories to the World Trade Organization

So far farmers have had access to knowledge transfer through the Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) public institution that developed the seed and supports the production of colored cotton where farmers plant under a guaranteed purchase contract. Since they started planting cotton for the group of companies, farmers have had the economic strength to secure certification with the support of institutions such as SEBRAE. However, there is always a risk that the chain will succumb if these incentives are interrupted because of the economic and legal instability of the country.

Trade 2030 WTO Public Forum 2018

About the 2018 Public Forum – Trade 2030

The 2018 Public Forum is the largest annual event of the World Trade Organization – WTO of the United Nations – UN with about 1500 participants. It is a platform where heads of state, parliamentarians, global entrepreneurs, students, academics and nongovernmental organizations come together to reflect on WTO issues and trade and development.

About the panel Trade 2030:
Trade and climate change: can we create a mutually supportive framework?

How climate change can affect economic competitiveness. The seminar organized by France, Canada and the International Chamber of Commerce.

Panelists:

• Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Deputy Minister of State of the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, France
• Claire Tutenuit, General Delegate, Companies for the Environment
• Scott Vaughan, President of the International Institute for Sustainable Development
• Marc Vanheukelen, ambassador, Permanent Representative of the European Union to the WTO (WTO)
• Francisca Vieira, CEO – Natural Cotton Color

Moderator
• Nikolaus Schultze, director of global politics at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

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