Debatten om miljöeffekterna av global second-hand-handel växer snabbt i takt med nya exportregler och policyförslag. Men hur stark är egentligen evidensen bakom antagandet att handeln driver miljöproblem i mottagarländer?

EU waste shipment rules and Basel Convention debates are placing second-hand textile exports at the centre of textile policy. But most environmental impacts occur earlier in the production chain.

When environment ministers from around the world gathered in Nairobi in December, the seventh session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) concluded with decisions that could have far-reaching implications for how textiles are managed globally. The meeting resulted in a new medium-term strategy for the UN Environment Programme for 2026–2029, alongside an updated resolution on chemicals and waste. Together, they reinforce the push to accelerate the transition towards circul