services-9fe8c12e3740f9f4.pdf

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law argues that WTO services trade negotiations must be integrated with existing multilateral environmental agreements and UN agency efforts to ensure that liberalization does not undermine sustainable development, human rights, or environmental protections.

• Various multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) address specific aspects of services trade: the Kyoto Protocol relates to energy services and energy consuming services, the Basel Convention concerns waste disposal services, and the Convention on Biological Diversity addresses services like tourism trade that could negatively affect biodiversity.
• Several UN agencies focus on the intersection of services trade and development: UNCTAD analyzes policy to ensure economic benefits for the South, the UNDP focuses on economic and broader human development, the WHO works to protect health policy objectives from liberalization, and the UN Sub-Commission on Human Rights emphasizes basic services as a means of promoting human rights.
• The document asserts that WTO services negotiations should not occur in isolation and that Members must understand the effects of General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) rules on sustainable development policies before accepting new legally binding rules.
• Sustainability assessments are presented as a tool to maximize the benefits of services trade liberalization and minimize negative impacts. While the Council for Trade in Services has a standing agenda item for services trade assessment, the document argues these must move beyond quantitative economic effects to include social, environmental, and human rights implications.
• The briefing calls for WTO Members to commit to thorough and comprehensive sustainability assessments using open and transparent processes, incorporating the expertise of UN agencies and non-governmental organizations, before creating new obligations under GATS.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). services-9fe8c12e3740f9f4.pdf. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/services.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. services-9fe8c12e3740f9f4.pdf. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/services.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=services-9fe8c12e3740f9f4.pdf |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/services.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndservices9fe8c12e3740f9f4pdf, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{services-9fe8c12e3740f9f4.pdf}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/services.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }