Trade and the Environment in the WTO

Abstract

The linkage between trade and the environment stands out as an important challenge in global economic governance. Over the past decade, the WTO devoted considerable attention to this issue and included it on the agenda of the Doha Round. In parallel, the jurisprudence on trade and the environment has experienced significant advances. This study provides an overview of the main institutional changes at the WTO and of the developments in the jurisprudence most relevant to the interaction between the environment and trade. Specifically, this study focuses on GATT Article XX and takes note of many positive (and a few negative) features of the key Appellate Body decisions.

Keywords: globalization, GATT, WTO, World Trade Organization, environment, trade, Doha, ITO, multilateral environmental agreement, MEA, trade and environment, trade-related environmental measures, TREM, international governance, global governance

JEL Classification: K32, K33, O19, F13, F18, F5, Q17, Q27, Q56