Solar and Wind Trade Tops $1.8 Trillion
UNCTAD says developing countries could miss out on climate trade gains without reforms to tariffs, standards, and finance.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in International Trade
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The UN Conference on Trade and Development reported that global exports of goods tied to solar and wind energy value chains exceeded $1.8 trillion in 2025. The agency warned that developing countries could struggle to capture these opportunities without reforms to tariffs, standards, regulations, and access to finance.
Why it matters
Climate change is already creating significant economic risks, and trade rules shape whether countries can access the technologies needed to respond. UNCTAD said tariffs raise the cost of climate technologies and that poorly designed technical standards can delay deployment and add compliance costs.
Developing economies exported $1.3 trillion in biodiversity-based goods and $1.2 trillion in ocean-related goods and services, while non-plastic substitute exports were estimated at $204 billion in 2024. The data do not show how much of these flows will persist as tariffs and standards evolve.
The players
UNCTAD (UN Conference on Trade and Development)
A United Nations body that promotes trade, investment, and development policy, and produces the trade data and analysis cited in this report.
The details
UNCTAD identified tariffs, technical regulations, product standards, and conformity requirements as barriers that can slow the spread of climate technologies. The agency said stronger trade cooperation would be critical for developing countries to gain affordable access to these technologies, with Nigeria cited as a primary focus of climate trade opportunities.
Timeline
2016 to 2021: Over half of trade agreements signed during this period included climate-related provisions.
2024: Developing economies recorded exports of biodiversity-based goods and non-plastic substitutes.
2025: Global solar and wind value-chain exports exceeded $1.8 trillion, and ocean-related exports were recorded.
Market Dynamics
Trade agreements have shifted markedly since 1990, when only 18 per cent of deals concluded between 1990 and 2015 included climate provisions, compared with over half of those signed from 2016 to 2021. Yet UNCTAD notes that implementation of these provisions remains weak, leaving the gap between commitments and trade outcomes unresolved.
Companies in solar, wind, and related supply chains may face shifting tariff and compliance costs as trade agreements add climate provisions. Investors tracking these sectors should watch whether implementation of those provisions improves market access in developing economies.
The takeaway
Trade policy now sits at the center of climate technology deployment, since tariffs and standards determine who can afford and access clean energy goods. Watching how countries implement climate provisions in trade agreements will show whether the export gains reach developing economies.
Further reading
For more on how trade rules shape access to goods, see International Trade.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News.
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