Dynamics in an Unpredictable World – Trade and Just Sustainability Transitions between Global Dynamics and Local Contexts

Public Opening Panel of the Fair Trade International Symposium (FTIS) 2026

23 September 2026

17.30 - 19.00 (CEST)

In a world increasingly shaped by geopolitical tensions, trade conflicts, climate crises, supply-chain disruptions, regulatory uncertainty, and volatile commodity and agricultural markets, questions of sustainability and justice are becoming ever more closely intertwined with global trade dynamics. Under the conference theme “Dynamics in an Unpredictable World,” this public panel organised by the Sustainability Research Hub of the University of Cologne explores how these transformations create new demands, pathways and tensions for building socially just  and ecologically sustainable futures in a world shaped by global trade.

In short impulse presentations, researchers from different disciplines at the University of Cologne will examine (1) pathways towards sustainable agri-food value chains and the frictions involved in building resilience within global trade systems characterized by uneven power relations, (2) the potentials and limitations of global carbon trade in tackling the climate crisis while advancing climate justice, and (3) the role of Fair Trade as a governance model for improve living and working conditions for producers and workers in the Global South in the context of volatile commodity and agricultural markets. 
 

Bringing these perspectives together, the panel critically engages with key questions of the FTIS 2026 conference: How do contemporary global trade dynamics shape local sustainability transformations? To which extent can trade-related governance mechanisms such as Fair Trade, sustainability standards, and carbon markets contribute to more socially just and ecologically sustainable futures? And how can such approaches address persistent North–South power asymmetries while strengthening resilience and improving livelihoods in the Global South?
Conceived as a university- and city-wide dialogue format, the panel creates space for exchange between researchers, civil society actors, policymakers, practitioners, and the wider public on pathways towards socially just and ecologically sustainable futures in a context of global trade. 
Impulse presentations:
 

• Peter Dannenberg: Sustainability and Resilience of Agri-Food Value Chains in Times of Multiple Crises? Towards a Joint and Critical Understanding
• Marc-Oliver Bettzüge: Global Carbon Trade and Climate Justice – Putting Out the Fire, or Adding Fuel?
• Gerda Kuiper: Fair Trade in the Globalized Cut Flower Industry in East Africa: What are Implications for Local Labour Conditions?”

Moderation: Tatiana López-Julies  

 

Venue

Conference Room in the Seminar building, University of Cologne

Universitätsstraße 37, 50931 Köln