UNCTAD News | Dona Bertarelli named UNCTAD special adviser for the blue economy (05 june 2020)

Dona Bertarelli, the fastest woman to sail around the world, philanthropist, ocean conservation advocate and entrepreneur, has been named the UNCTAD Special Adviser for the Blue Economy. She will help UNCTAD promote a sustainable blue economy, particularly in developing countries. More

BioTrade company in Myanmar shows resilience to COVID-19 shock

The business challenges posed by the spread of COVID-19 threaten the survival of many companies, especially smaller ones in developing countries.

But Salay Shae Saung, a small business making immune-boosting natural jujube and tamarind syrup in Myanmar, is showing resilience. It has kept its doors open thanks to measures it adopted before the outbreak as part of the BioTrade principles and criteria for sustainable commerce. More

No vaccine will protect us against climate change

Like the coronavirus pandemic, the climate crisis is an existential threat. Yet unlike for COVID-19, we can’t place hope in finding a vaccine against climate change.
Our coronavirus battle, means we have paid considerably less attention to the climate threat, but we cannot afford to do so going forward. More

COVID-19 crisis: How South-South cooperation can support economic recovery

Cooperation among countries of the South cannot substitute for the actions required by the wider international community but it can bring a degree of relief and support with recovery and point towards a better future, UNCTAD’s Richard Kozul-Wright argues. More

Airlines must respect consumers’ rights

The International Air Transport Associations (IATA) estimates that airlines owe $35 billion to passengers for flights cancelled in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. But airlines feel that honouring consumers’ right to refund, would make them insolvent.
UNCTAD’s Pamela Coke-Hamilton makes the case that member States must ensure that businesses obey the relevant laws and regulations of the countries where they operate and prioritize consumer protection. More

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