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Environment and related trade

Data insights

The intersection of international trade and environmental sustainability has become increasingly important in shaping global economic policies. This collection of thematic insights explores key areas where trade and the environment intersect, shedding light on the dynamics of environmentally related trade.

Over time, Europe has been the largest biodiversity-based products’ exporter globally

Biodiversity-based products’ exports by region, billions of dollars

UN Trade and Development, UNCTADstat.

See metadata.

The global value of exports of biodiversity-based goods reached $3.4 trillion in 2022, slightly down from 2021 figures. This trade showed resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, growing until 2021 and recording a moderate slowdown in 2022. 

The Americas, particularly South America, and to a lesser extent North America, were the only regions to record an increase in the value of biodiversity-based products’ exports, with a 7.8 per cent growth from 2021 to 2022. Despite a moderate downturn, Europe continued to lead exports of biodiversity-based products, totaling $1.75 trillion in 2022, accounting for more than half of global biodiversity-based products’ exports in 2022. Asia, however, saw a significant decline of over 31 per cent in these exports in 2022, dropping from nearly $10 trillion to $6.85 trillion. In African countries, exports of biodiversity-based products continued to play a marginal role globally but were increasingly significant in the region as a share of commodity exports.

Data updated on 21 Nov 2023

Metadata

Trade flows and indicators showcased in the database cover all trade in biological resources, even if goods are produced without proper sustainability considerations (in short: biotrade), rather than BioTrade or even certified sustainable trade in biodiversity-based goods more generally. In fact, great efforts would be required to enable systematic data collection, particularly on trade, for certified sustainable goods that is comprehensive as well as comparable at a regional and/or global level. This is due to numerous reasons, including issues such as the proliferation of voluntary standards as well as standard-setting organizations across the globe, lack of harmonized trade-data on certified goods in general, or the confidential and sensitive nature of certain types of data.

Full metadata are available in our Data Centre for Trade and Biodiversity - Trade in thousands of United States dollars.

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