Trading with the Environment: Ecology, Economics, Institutions and Policy

Front Cover
Earthscan, 1995 - 140 pages

Should there be firmer restrictions on trade, with more policies aimed at protecting its environmental impacts, or would the environment benefit most from unrestricted free trade? Do importing countries have a responsibility only to their local ecosystems, or are they also responsible for environmental degradation caused by the production of traded goods in exporting countries?

Trading the Environment examines both the dependence and the effects of international trade on the earth's life support systems and looks at ways in which trading regulations could be adapted to promote ecologically sustainable economic development. It addresses the issues from a fully integrated approach, focusing on the interrelations between ecosystems, economic development and trade. The authors provide a carefully constructed ecological and economic analysis of trade and the environment, examine the existing legal and institutional frameworks and set out 16 recommendations to achieve environment beneficial trade at both national and international levels. Trading with the environment was originally commissioned by the Swedish government and is already regarded thereon essential reference. It makes an excellent introduction as well as constructive analysis, both for students and for policy-makers and professional economics and other scientists working on the issues.

Published in 1995

From inside the book

Contents

Natures Life Support Systems as the Foundation
4
Economy and ecosystems
21
An ecologicaleconomic synthesis
27
Economic Perspectives on Trade and the Environment
45
Trade and the environment
53
Localization of environmentally damaging activities
66
Possible solutions to international environmental issues
79
GATT exceptions for environmental protection
87
GATT and international environmental agreements
95
A new General System of Preferences
103
Ground rules for sustainable development
112
Excerpts from the Rio Declaration
120
Trade and Environment in the GATT
127
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

Bibliographic information