Trends in environmental goods trade: A sectoral and technological assessment for Turkiye

This study examines global trends in environmental goods trade and Türkiye's competitive position from technological and sectoral perspectives, using the Combined List of Environmental Goods (CLEG) classification.The findings show that 80% of the 248 products in the CLEG belong to the high-and medium-high-technology categories.Trade data for 2004-2023 indicate that Türkiye's environmental goods exports are concentrated in the medium-high-technology segment (66.5%), with particular strength in renewable energy and water treatment-patterns that align with global trends.The results also suggest that Türkiye would benefit from developing sustainable solutions to meet its demand for high-technology environmental goods.The study highlights three pathways to strengthen sustainable competitiveness: (1) expanding domestic high-technology production capacity, (2) increasing R&D investment, and (3) reinforcing technology-transfer mechanisms.Methodologically, the study contributes by evaluating environmental goods through an integrated technology-sector framework, offering a more nuanced basis for policy design.