Of International Trade, Climate Change, Investment and a Prosperous Future

Abstract

A transformative, integrated, and holistic approach to sustainability is necessary to reach a prosperous future for all. With growing inequality in the world, demographic change, rapid technological development, and 40% of the world’s population with no access to digital technology, access to digital technology for all and, ultimately, having a prosperous future is a must today. Doing so will give a voice to the voiceless. For that, governments, companies, and transnational institutions should invest as much as possible to make it happen and provide solutions that are rules-based, inclusive, innovative, disruptive, and simple. We the citizens should push for this human right to materialize. That way, everyone will benefit and no one will fall behind. Access to energy, mitigating climate change, and benefiting from international trade and investment all can be achieved thanks to technological advancement. These global challenges are complex, interconnected, multidimensional, interdependent, and multi-causal.

Keywords: international trade, climate change, bilateral investment treaties, technology

JEL Classification: K33