Contenders for top WTO role could usher in a new green agenda

There are now two female finalists for the role of director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) - Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's former finance minister and Yoo Myung-Hee, South Korea's trade minister. 

One of these women will be the first female director-general in the history of the WTO. With new leadership comes new opportunities for regeneration and both candidates have already made clear statements on the need for reform in the WTO. 

The extent to which such reform will relate to climate change and the environment remains to be seen. Ms Yoo has spoken out on the need for fisheries subsidies reform, which she considers will provide the world with benefits for trade and environmental sustainability. In a recent webinar with Chatham House, Ms Yoo called for more general reform and the need for the WTO system to "change, adapt and evolve, in step with changing realities and changing times". Meanwhile, Ms Okonjo-Iweala used her written candidate statement to the WTO to call on the organisation to take on "fresh challenges, such as ensuring optimal complementarity between trade and the environment". Ms Okonjo-Iweala is also a member of the Earthshot Prize Council who will award five £1 million prizes each year, until 2030, to support the development of environmental solutions. The initiative is being billed as "the most prestigious global environment prize in history" and is run by the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.  

Supporting sustainable development, particularly with respect to the environment, will be key to businesses, workers and consumers all around the world, particularly in countries that are already dealing with severe impacts of climate change. Depending on who is elected, we may start to see pushes for more radical environmental and climate change reforms from the highest ranks of the WTO in order to tackle these issues. 

All will be revealed near the end of October. The last phase of the selection process will begin on 19 October and run until 27 October, after which the WTO will seek to name a winner based on a consensus of its members.