Florence, 11 October 2025: The World Trade Forum 2025 gathered policymakers, scholars, and experts to explore how global trade can adapt to the turbulence of geopolitical, technological, and environmental change. Under the theme ‘Coping with Chaos: Sustaining the Rules-Based Trade Order’, participants examined how to preserve open, rules-based trade while advancing sustainability, resilience, and inclusive growth.

ERIA contributed to two major sessions. Dr Intan Murnira Ramli, Senior Policy Fellow, served as discussant in ‘Trade, Climate, and Energy: New Insights’ on 10 October, while ERIA President Tetsuya Watanabe moderated the plenary session ‘Plurilateral Responses to Unilateralism’ on 11 October.

Trade, Climate, and Energy: New Insights

Chaired by Prof. Manfred Elsig, Managing Director of the World Trade Institute (WTI), the session explored the intersection of trade, climate policy, and energy transition. Presenters from WTI and the University of Bern shared new research on public attitudes, political legitimacy, and policy design in green trade:

• Julia Gubler, Utkarsh Uprety, and Noah Wheatley presented findings on how expert and public perceptions shape support for climate-related trade instruments.
• Laurie Durel analysed contestation surrounding the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
• David Baumann outlined emissions and energy transition projections under a business-as-usual trajectory, underscoring the urgency of policy innovation.

As discussant, Dr Intan Murnira Ramliplaced these insights within the ASEAN and East Asian context. She highlighted that while advanced economies are advancing green trade mechanisms, developing regions still face capacity gaps, regulatory asymmetries, and risks of trade diversion. Dr Ramli called for inclusive multilateralism, technology co-operation, and climate finance partnerships to ensure a just transition.

She cautioned that the global green agenda must not become a new form of protectionism, advocating instead for interoperability and mutual recognition of sustainability standards. Her remarks bridged the North–South policy divide, reinforcing the need to embed climate ambition within equitable trade frameworks – a theme echoed throughout the forum.

Plurilateral Responses to Unilateralism

Moderated by ERIA President Tetsuya Watanabe, the plenary session examined how plurilateral initiatives can sustain trade co-operation amidst the resurgence of unilateralism and gridlock in multilateral negotiations.

• Michael Plummer (Johns Hopkins SAIS) explored potential EU–CPTPP+ integration scenarios, highlighting how such linkages could create new platforms for rulemaking in sustainability and emerging technologies.
• Charles Sabel (Columbia Law School) proposed ‘trade-sustainability clubs’ – voluntary groupings of countries committed to high environmental and governance standards – as laboratories for policy innovation.
• Mr Lu Xiankun (Friends of Multilateralism Group, Geneva) offered a diplomatic perspective, cautioning against excessive fragmentation while recognising plurilateralism as a pragmatic response to current challenges.

Discussions recognised plurilateral co-operation as apractical bridge between ideal multilateralism and growing unilateralism, particularly in sectors such as critical minerals and digital trade. Participants also debated whether emerging frameworks beyond the WTO could complement – rather than replace – existing institutions.

Towards an Inclusive, Adaptable Trade Order

Across both sessions, a clear message emerged: sustaining the global rules-based order requires adaptability, fairness, and collaboration across diverse economies. Climate imperatives, digital transformation, and strategic resilience are redefining trade governance – demanding co-operation through flexible, inclusive, and forward-looking frameworks.

The World Trade Forum 2025 reaffirmed its role as a unique platform for bridging academic insight and policy dialogue, promoting practical solutions to sustain a fair and sustainable global trading system amidst growing uncertainty.