Trade and Environment Negotiations Status under the WTO : An Investigation into the Tariff-Alone Approach

The discussions on trade and environment began as early as 1971 under the GATT. The formation of WTO in 1995 reignited and furthered the focus on rulemaking and optimal use of the world’s resources towards sustainable development. After two decades in 2015 with the signing of sustainable development goals (SDGs) the long lull under the Committee of Trade and Environment (CTE) - since 2011 - the focus is back on multiple deals and agreements with a particular focus on climate change and issues of sustainability challenges. The Centre for WTO Studies Policy Brief No.07 titled “Trade and Environment Negotiations Status under the WTO: An Investigation into the tariff-alone approach” discusses the main elements of the imbalance in the market access negotiations at the global level