31 October 2025 at 08:57 pm IST
The governments of Singapore, Chile and New Zealand have initiated negotiations for a plurilateral Green Economy Partnership Agreement (GEPA), launched on 31 October 2025 on the sidelines of the Asia‑Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. The agreement aims to provide a framework for trade and investment in the green economy, where sustainability and market access align. The proposed GEPA would cover areas such as sustainable aviation fuel, trading of carbon credits, renewable energy certificates and trade-related climate measures. Officials note that the purpose is to set common rules and standards to streamline cross-border flows of environmental goods, services, technologies and finance—to support the transition to a low-carbon economy while avoiding unnecessary trade barriers. This initiative builds on the Joint Working Group on Trade and the Green Economy, formed in November 2024, by the same three countries to explore cooperation in green sectors. With the GEPA talks now underway, the countries aim to deliver a proposal or work-plan for consideration in 2025.
