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  • TEP PUBLICATION LIST

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  • Publications

    ITC offers a range of information on trade and environment related issues through technical papers, publications, reports, articles and presentations.

    Latest Publications:

      Product Carbon Footprinting Standards in the Agri-Food Sector      Product Carbon Footprinting Standards in the Agri-Food Sector , 2012. Available in English, French and Spanish. This paper guides exporters of agricultural products through the process of product carbon footprinting. It helps them understand the processes, improve environmental performance and reduce business costs. It includes a typology of schemes and initiatives, relevant examples, how to calculate, challenges to methodology and an overview of potential mitigation measures.
      North American Market for Natural Products    The North American Market for Natural Products with Highlights on Selected Andean and African Products , 2012. Available in English. This technical paper provides an overview of the market including a description of products, prices and distribution channels, as well as requirements for access in terms of regulations, standards, product presentation and application forms.
      Labelling of Natural Products    Labelling of Natural Products: The United States Market , 2011. Available in English and Spanish. This technical paper provides easy-to-follow guidance on the basic labelling requirements for finished natural product and sustainability certification. Labelling products correctly is essential to sell natural products in the United States consumer market. Exporters from developing countries do not always have easy access to information to meet these key market requirements. Labelling requirements are covered for cosmetics, herbal dietary supplements, health food and herbal drugs.
      Claim Statements for Natural Products    Claim Statements for Natural Products: The United States Market , 2011. Available in English and Spanish. This technical paper describes claim statements permissible for dietary supplements and health food products, non-food cosmetic products, and over -the-counter drug products marketed in the United States. In the United States, regulations determing the statements that a company can make when marketing a finished natural product, such as claims that a product promotes health, can combat disease, or is cleansing. Examples are provided of acceptable and non acceptable claims for a range of Peruvian exported natural products as well as links to the relevant regulations and guidance documents.
       Python Skin  The Trade in South-East Asian Python Skins (2012) 

    Available in English. Online translations of the Executive Summary in French, Spanish and Chinese. This report describes the trade flows of python skins in South-East Asia and identifies the main points of value addition in the supply chain for the five most heavily traded python species. It provides information on the regulation of python skin trade; analyzes the trade flows in python skins from key exporting countries in South-East Asia; gives an overview of the value chain of pythons; reviews welfare and sustainability issues regarding python harvesting for the skin trade; presents recommendations in a number of areas of concern relating to illegal trade, trade measures, sustainability and animal welfare.

       Packaging  

    Packaging Sourcing and Selection for Organic and Sustainable Foods (2012) 

    Available in English. For developing countries, growing demand for organic agri-food products in markets like Europe and the United States among others provides an opportunity for growth and development. In the absence of comprehensive information on packaging for organic products, producers and processors have to rely mostly on the requirements set forth by the importers under the private labels. This guide on packaging for organic products will assist them in formulating their own market and product strategies thereby creating new business opportunities.This technical paper provides exporters of natural products with detailed guidance on the types of statements they can make when marketing a finished natural product e.g. claims that a product promotes health, can combat disease, or is cleansing. Organic and Natural Products.

     

     

    Technical Papers

    Click on "Open" to access all trade and environment related technical papers.

    Product Carbon Footprinting Standards in the Agri-Food Sector, 2012. Available in English, French and Spanish. Aims to guide exporters of agricultural products through the process of product carbon footprinting so as to make it easier for them to understand the processes involved, improve their environmental performance and ultimately to reduce the costs for their business. It includes a typology of Product Carbon Footprinting (PCF) schemes and initiatives including relevant examples, the different steps involved in calculating a PCF, the main challenges in relation to methodology, data and uncertainty, issues particularly relevant to developing countries, and an overview of potential mitigation measures. 

    The North American Market for Natural Products with Highlights on Selected Andean and African Products, 2012. Available in English. Provides an overview of the market including a description of products, prices and distribution channels, as well as requirements for access in terms of regulations, standards, product presentation and application forms.

    Labelling of Natural Products: The United States Market, 2011. Available in English and Spanish. Labelling products correctly is an essential requirement to sell natural products in the United States consumer market. This paper provides easy-to-follow guidance on the basic labelling requirements for finished natural product and sustainability certification.

    Claim Statements for Natural Products: The United States Market, 2011. Available in English and Spanish. Provides exporters of natural products with detailed guidance on the types of statements they can make when marketing a finished natural product e.g. claims that a product promotes health, can combat disease, or is cleansing. Organic and Natural Products.

    Trends in the Trade of Certified Coffees, 2011. Available in English, French and Spanish. Provides an overview of global market trends for the sustainable segment of the coffee industry. Highlights the importance of certification in traditional and emerging markets, outlines the main sustainability certification and verification schemes, details volumes of traded coffee for each and considers the impact of these standards on coffee producers and the industry.

    Cotton and Climate Change, Impacts and Options to Mitigate and Adapt, 2011. Available in English, French and Spanish. Focuses on the interface between cotton, climate change and trade. Examines the impact of cotton production and consumption on climate change and the options and incentives for reducing emissions. Discusses the impact of climate change on cotton production and the options for adaptation.

    Climate Change and the Coffee Industry, 2010. Focuses on the effect of climate change on global coffee production, with particular reference to small coffee producers in developing and least developed countries. Highlights the possible effects of climate change on quality, yield, pests and diseases, and irrigation; considers potential areas of intervention, and looks at short-term solutions and long-term strategies to make coffee producers better prepared.

    Organic Farming and Climate Change, 2008. Concludes that organic agriculture has much to offer in both mitigation of climate change through its emphasis on closed nutrient cycles and is a particularly resilient and productive system for adaptation strategies. Considers the issue of whether organic agriculture should be eligible for carbon credits under voluntary carbon offsetting markets and the Clean Development Mechanism.

    Organic Agriculture in Rwanda and Options for Policy and Trade Development, 2008. Prepared as an input to Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources for the development of their action plan for organic agriculture and trade. Serves as a model for a policy for organic in other developing countries as well as gives guidance for existing or future organic projects.

    The Economic Impact of a Ban on Airfreighted Organic Products to the UK, 2007. Study analysing the economic impacts of a possible ban by the Soil Association (UK organic standard setting body) on certification or re-certification of organic products imported to the UK by air. Uses Ghana and Kenya as examples of the importance of fresh fruit and vegetables exports from developing countries and the economic and social consequences of a withdrawal of Soil Association certification.

    Airfreight Transport of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables - A Review of the Environmental Impact and Policy Options, 2007. Study focusing on ‘food miles’ (the number of miles a product has to be transported from the farmer to various stages of production until it reaches the consumer). This publication provides a review of literature most relevant to the issue of food miles. In particular, focuses upon issues around the proposed changes in the Soil Association’s (a leading UK organic certification body) criteria for airfreighted products.

    Overview of World Production and Marketing of Organic Wild Collected Products, 2007. The demand for organic wild collected products is significant. Products for direct food consumption, such as berries, nuts, mushrooms and a large number of herbs are the main items. This publication discusses terminology used in wild collection, gives an overview of organic and other standards that relate to wild collection and provides data and background information about collection and marketing of certified organic wild collected products.

    Organic Cotton - an Opportunity for Trade, 2007. Report analysing the global market for organic cotton fibre, textiles and clothing – including definitions of organic cotton and ‘fair trade’ cotton; detailed figures for organic cotton production, trade, and consumption; the geographical markets for organic cotton fibre, textiles; description of the involvement of many large brands and retailers; and reviews main organic markets.

    Marketing Manual and Web Directory for Organic Spices, Culinary Herbs, Essential Oils, 2006. This manual builds on information compiled through consultancy and mission seminars in Africa and South America. It is designed to address the needs of producers and exporters in developing countries for specific technical and market information in order to develop their organic enterprises and to export the products covered to target markets.

    Strengthening the Export Capacity of Thailand's Organic Agriculture, 2006. Prepared by the ITC Technical Assistance Team to provide a background to the current state of play of organic agriculture in Thailand, and offers an assessment of key issues for the supply chain, including production, marketing, research, training and extension services, the institutional framework and support systems, and import requirements of the EU.

    Publications

    Click on "Open" to access all trade and environment related publications.

    The World of Organic Agriculture 2010, 250 pages, published by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), with financial support from ITC, among others. The 11th edition of The World of Organic Agriculture documents recent developments in global organic agriculture. It includes contributions from representatives of the organic sector from throughout the world and provides comprehensive organic farming statistics that cover surface area under organic management, numbers of farms and specific information about land use in organic systems. To buy the whole publication, please visit the IFOAM or FiBL websites.

    The World of Organic Agriculture 2009, 299 pages, published by FiBL and IFOAM, with financial support from ITC, among others. The World of Organic Agriculture - Statistics and Emerging Trends 2009 documents recent developments in global organic agriculture. It includes contributions from representatives of the organic sector from throughout the world and provides comprehensive organic farming statistics that cover surface area under organic management, numbers of farms and specific information about land use in organic systems. To buy the publication, please visit the IFOAM or FiBL websites.

    Articles

    Click on "Open" to access all trade and environment related articles written by ITC.
    Kasterine, A. (2011). Growing pains: The influence of climate change on agriculture, in Trade Forum Magazine 2-2011, Food Security, Agriculture and Trade Development.

    Kasterine, A. and vo Hagen, O. (2011). The Organic Standard in the Market for Sustainable Products, in World of Organic Agriculture, FiBL/IFOAM, 2011.

    Kasterine, A. (2010). Embedded Carbon - A New Trade Priority, in: Trade Forum Magazine 1-2010: Trade and Climate Change, p.27.

    Kasterine, A. (2010). Counting Carbon in Exports, in: Trade Forum Magazine 1-2010: Trade and Climate Change, p.30-31.

    Kasterine, A. (2010). Organic Agriculture and Carbon Markets, World of Organic Agriculture, FIBL/IFOAM.

    Kasterine, A. and Vanzetti, D. (2010). The effectiveness, efficiency and equity of market based and voluntary measures to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from the agri-food sector, Trade and Environment Review 2010, UNCTAD, Geneva.

    Von Hagen, O. and Kasterine A. (2010). The Organic Standard in the Market for Sustainable Products, World of Organic Agriculture, FIBL/IFOAM.

    Kasterine, A. (2009). Carbon labels present a taxing problem, Column in Green Room, BBC Online.

    Kasterine, A. (2009). Private standards and environmental effectiveness, WTO Committee on Trade and Environment.

    Kasterine, A. (2009). The role of government in building sustainability business, IUCN, The Time for Biodiversity Business.

    ITC (2008). ITC's submission to the Soil Association Airfreight Consultation.

    ITC/UNCTAD/UNEP (2007). ITC/UNCTAD/UNEP statement on Soil Association Airfreight Consultation, Geneva.
  • Highlights

    14.06.2012

    WHO: The International Trade Centre (ITC), a joint agency of the UN and WTO, is hosting side-events within Rio+20 which focus on trade opportunities in the green economy. WHY:There are new and innovative opportunities in trade for sustainable development...

    20.04.2012

    A new set of ITC technical papers on Biotrade and the North American Market provides small and medium sized enterprises with guidance on accessing this exciting market. The first paper provides a detailed overview of the market, whilst the other two papers address two key compliance problems for exporters to the United States market, namely claims about natural products and labelling. 

    30.03.2012

    In October 2011, ITC provided the Peruvian export promotion agency (PROMPERU) and 6 Peruvian companies with tailored marketing support to attend the Supply Side West trade fair (SSW) in Las Vegas in order to facilitate market linkages with US buyers.

    15.01.2011

    In post-conflict Aceh, Indonesia, a joint initiative between three United Nations (UN) agencies (the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and UNCTAD, the UN Conference on Trade and Development) together with the...