The Weekly Tradecast by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

9. Scammed: Are online marketplaces safe?

The ninth episode of UNCTAD’s Weekly Tradecast talks about protecting consumers in an increasingly online world with Teresa Moreira, head of UNCTAD’s competition and consumer policies branch.
The COVID-19 pandemic has revolutionized the way we shop. During lockdowns, huge numbers of us went online to buy food, clothes, household goods and entertainment. 
That convenience is now part of our lives and in how we spend as more people use credit cards and "buy now, pay later" options at checkout.
But consumers face many risks as online shopping grows – not least as the world struggles with a cost-of-living crisis.  Listen in to Teresa to find out what to do if you’ve been scammed and how to tell whether an online marketplace is safe.

8. Blue Deal: Charting a new ocean economy

This episode of The Weekly Tradecast explores how blue diplomacy can help protect our ocean with David Vivas, an UNCTAD legal officer working on trade and environment issues.
The ocean and its ability to sustain life are in grave danger due to human activities, such as pollution and overfishing.
This year’s United Nations Ocean Conference held in Lisbon worked to chart a course for a Blue Deal to safeguard the economic and environmental sustainability of the seas.
As Mr. Vivas says, with at least 3 billion people depending on marine resources for their livelihoods, it’s crucial that we create a sustainable and resilient ocean economy that benefits us all.

7. War and price: The cost of rising inflation

In the seventh episode of The Weekly Tradecast we’re talking about inflation with Jeronim Capaldo, an economist in UNCTAD’s globalization and development strategies division.
Every day in the news, we’re hearing about a global slowdown and how the war in Ukraine is driving up prices at a pace not seen in decades.
Other forces are also fuelling inflation – including supply disruptions hanging over from the COVID-19 pandemic and severe weather that has ruined harvests.
High inflation causes damage by eating up more of people’s pay and eroding their savings. It can even bring an economy to its knees – like in Germany after World War One and in Zimbabwe not that long ago.
Jeronim says developing countries, where people already spend much of their money on the basic necessities of life, are the ones who suffer most as prices soar.

6. Blockchain reaction: The high cost of unregulated crypto

In our sixth episode of The Weekly Tradecast, we're talking about cryptocurrencies with economist Marina Zucker of UNCTAD's debt and development finance branch.
After some incredible gains over two years, the prices of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have been plunging in recent months. More turbulence is likely.
Some people have made a lot of money from crypto but many have not been so lucky with the volatile and unregulated digital asset. Scams, collapsing funds, stolen credentials and forgotten passwords have cost investors millions.
Are cryptocurrencies here to stay? Is it time for governments to regulate them? Tune in to hear Marina spell out the risks and share her ideas about solutions.
Downloads:
All that glitters is not gold: The high cost of leaving cryptocurrencies unregulated
Public payment systems in the digital era: Responding to the financial stability and security-related risks of cryptocurrencies
The cost of doing too little too late: How cryptocurrencies can undermine domestic resource mobilization in developing countries
Website: unctad.org

5. A lesser degree: Why climate change matters

In our fifth episode of The Weekly Tradecast, we talk to economist and author Richard Kozul-Wright, UNCTAD's director of the globalization and development strategies division, about how we can reduce the negative effects of climate change.
Much of Europe has been seeing soaring temperatures and battling to control huge wildfires this summer. Scientists say the heatwave is consistent with the global impact of our changing environment.
Hundreds of millions of people around the world -- many in developing countries -- are suffering as extreme weather destroys crops, threatens development and makes entire areas unliveable.
Tune in to hear Richard on why climate change is not going away and why we must support developing countries with adaptation and mitigation to stop it from getting worse.
Download: UNCTAD's report on how to scale up climate action
Website: unctad.org

4. Uncertain recovery: Where’s investment going?

In this week's episode of The Weekly Tradecast, we talk to James Zhan, UNCTAD's director of investment and enterprise, about trends in foreign investment.
The UN's recent World Investment Report says the good news for development is that foreign direct investment recovered to pre-pandemic levels last year and generally benefited all regions.
But this year is not looking as promising, with food and fuel prices high and financing getting tighter.
James, who leads the team that produced the report, says everyone is feeling the pinch but we must help the poorest who are being hit the hardest.
Website: unctad.org/wir

3. Stormy waters: The maritime trade crisis

In the third episode of the Weekly Tradecast, Jan Hoffman, head of UNCTAD's trade logistics branch, talks about how the war in Ukraine has compounded severe strains on global supply chains from the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 80% of goods move by sea. Space on ships is tight and the cost to transport a container has soared. Now, with the war in Ukraine, prices are rising for almost everything we consume. Jan helps us navigate the uncertainties around maritime trade and recommends some solutions.

2. Africa’s future: Why economies must diversify

In the second episode of the Weekly Tradecast, we talk to Paul Akiwumi, an UNCTAD director of the Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special Programme division. 
We’ll be looking at Africa, where soaring food and energy prices are hitting especially hard as the region struggles with the impact of the pandemic and climate change.
The continent of 1.4 billion people relies heavily on grain and other essentials from Ukraine and Russia – exposing them to shortages and crippling costs that imperil their development.   
Paul, who led the production of the UN’s latest Economic Development in Africa Report, says that to cope with this crisis and insulate itself for the future, Africa must rethink how it diversifies its economies to attract investment and narrow huge income gaps.