Selected by Choice Magazine as an Outstanding Academic Title
What role should international trade rules and the World Trade
Organization (WTO) play in the protection of the environment? While many
environmentalists argue that trade rules and procedures must be made
more "green," many trade proponents fear that the international trading
system will be undermined by extreme demands of environmentalists.
In this essay, Gary Sampson scrutinizes these contending views and
assesses the effects of trade liberalization on the environment; the
role of the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism; the potential impact of
WTO rules, including those dealing with production processes; and the
relationship that should exist between the WTO and specific multilateral
environmental agreements.
In his discussion of these issues, Sampson puts forward a priority
agenda for trade and environmental ministers and proposes ways to
enhance the WTO's environmental protection role and strengthen the
trading system at the same time.