CBP GREEN TRADE VISION
Establish CBP as a champion for the green economy and a leader in the fight against climate change by facilitating the global transition to green trade and serving as a responsible steward of our own environmental footprint.
U.S. CUSTOMS GREEN TRADE STRATEGY
Launched in June 2022, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released a Green Trade Strategy to “set an example for customs authorities around the world to develop higher, greener standards for global trade.”
The CBP Green Trade Strategy is intended to establish a proactive model to combat the negative impacts of climate change, strengthen its existing enforcement activities against environmental trade crimes, and define goals for environmentally sustainable trade policies, programs, and infrastructure within the agency.
FOUR STRATEGIC GOALS
1. Incentivize Green Trade
Goal: Provide facilitation benefits and other incentives to promote environmentally-friendly trade practices and supply chains.
Potential Opportunities:
-
- Develop green trade incentive programs and other facilitation mechanisms
- Incorporate environmental priorities into existing trade programs
- Collaborate with international partners to incentivize green trade, build global capacity, and harmonize approaches
Desired Outcomes:
-
- Expedited transition to green trade practices
- Tangible financial and environmental benefits for our trade industry partners
- Enhanced green standards around the world
2. Strengthen Environmental Enforcement Posture
Goal: Enforce against environmental bad actors to drive meaningful changes in trade practices
Potential Opportunities:
-
- Prioritize enforcement of environmental laws and controls in conjunction with partner government agencies
- Enhance supply chain visibility to illuminate environmental risk factors
- Bolster information sharing with stakeholders to promote coordinated enforcement
- Coordinate with domestic and foreign governments to enforce environmental provisions in trade agreements
Desired Outcomes:
-
- Targeted and timely enforcement against environmental crime
- Coordinated enforcement efforts with international partners
- Strong environmental provisions in trade agreements, complemented by effective accountability mechanisms
3. Accelerate Green Innovation
Goal: Promote and invest in the deployment of innovative, sustainable trade practices by government and private industry
Potential Opportunities:
-
- Identify ways that industry can play a role in addressing the climate crisis
- Promote research pertaining to green trade
- Align customs processes with a green future
- Incentivize green innovation by industry
Desired Outcomes:
-
- Environmentally-conscious operations that are informed by cutting-edge research and are able to accommodate ongoing innovation in green trade
- Motivated industrial base focused on bringing green technologies and other innovations to market
- Coordinated approach by trade stakeholders to addressing the risks posed by climate change
4. Improve Climate Resilience and Resource Efficiency
Goal: Decrease the greenhouse gas emissions associated with CBP operations and strengthen the resilience and sustainability of trade infrastructure and assets
Potential Opportunities:
-
- Promote resource efficiency through renewable and/or energy efficient sources and waste management practices to reduce CBP’s carbon footprint
- Utilize flexible and non-traditional work arrangements to decrease workforce environmental impacts
- Improve the resilience of our workforce and infrastructure against the effects of climate change
Desired Outcomes:
-
- Reduced carbon footprint and energy consumption driven by energy-efficient facilities and assets
- High levels of mission readiness and a workforce that is prepared to operate in a changing operational environment
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Green Trade Strategy, June 2022
As Green continues to monitor the situation, stay up-to-date on freight and trade news by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
