The Global Commodities Forum offers a unique platform to debate issues at the intersection of commodities and development including food, water, fossil fuels and rare earth elements.

Right now, we face unprecedented challenges that transcend national boundaries. Several significant transitions are needed to build a long-term sustainable future and help to overcome poverty and other social and economic inequities. The COVID-19 crisis can seriously compromise the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other development objectives. It clearly points to the necessity to accelerate such transitions. Commodities, whether soft or hard, will be a key part of the transition. They are also core to an emerging set of opportunities for many commodity dependent developing countries, but also reviving some old concerns.

The vital signs of our planet are showing severe strain, with climate change being the main culprit. The demand for food is projected to increase by 60% as the world population approaches 10 billion by 2050. Ensuring appropriate domestic productive capacity in soft commodities, access to international markets, which may help create economies of scale and scope, and the protection of domestic consumers are all major components of food security. Achieving and maintaining food security also rely heavily on accessing a specific resource: freshwater. Acting on one of these components may have consequences on others, and possibly on the efficiency of policy implementation.

Meanwhile, hard commodities play a critical role in the global transition to renewable energy as countries reduce their dependence on the extraction and consumption of fossil fuels and demand increases for new commodities, such as rare-earth elements associated with the manufacture of batteries and solar photovoltaic systems. The accelerated pace of change has major implications for countries and companies.

The Global Commodities Forum will help to frame international policy discussions on commodities, featuring challenges and opportunities for developing countries and particularly commodity dependent ones. For that purpose, four thematic sessions and a high-level roundtable bringing together experts, policy makers and high level political and institutional representatives from all regions of the world are organized.