Trading Green

The document examines the tensions between trade liberalisation and climate mitigation, proposing that the EU and WTO shift from a market-access focus to one that prioritises environmental standards, technology transfer, and the principle of mutual supportiveness between trade and climate regimes.

• The transport sector is a major driver of climate change, accounting for one third of all greenhouse gas emissions.
• Simplistic 'food miles' labelling can be misleading because it ignores the production efficiency of certain regions; for example, Kenyan roses produce 80% less CO2 than Dutch roses despite the transport distance, and New Zealand lamb generates approximately 70% less CO2 than lamb produced and transported within the UK.
• Trade in Environmental Goods and Services (EGS), including renewable technologies and energy-efficient products, could support climate goals by lowering costs and encouraging exports, though a clear international definition of EGS is still required.
• The EU's 'Global Europe' trade strategy is criticised for prioritising competitiveness and market access over climate goals, potentially creating a 'chilling effect' on domestic legislation such as energy efficiency standards or subsidies for renewable energy.
• Strict enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) is identified as a barrier to the diffusion of clean technologies in developing countries; the document suggests 'TRIPs-minus' agreements to facilitate technology appropriation.
• There is significant legal uncertainty regarding whether WTO rules permit carbon-related measures, such as carbon footprint labelling or border tax adjustments, which may discourage governments from implementing climate policies.
• To resolve conflicts between trade and climate regimes, the WTO should formally adopt the principle of 'mutual supportiveness,' ensuring that trade rules do not inhibit global mitigation and adaptation efforts.

APA

Martin, D., Bernasconi, N., Raman, M., & Poppe, C. (2008). Trading Green. Center for International Environmental Law. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/TRADE_Climate_EN_Jul08.pdf

Chicago

Martin, David, Nathalie Bernasconi, Meena Raman, and Charly Poppe. Trading Green. Center for International Environmental Law, 2008. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/TRADE_Climate_EN_Jul08.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Martin |first1=David |last2=Bernasconi |first2=Nathalie |last3=Raman |first3=Meena |last4=Poppe |first4=Charly |title=Trading Green |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |date=2008 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/TRADE_Climate_EN_Jul08.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{martin2008trading, author = {Martin, David and Bernasconi, Nathalie and Raman, Meena and Poppe, Charly}, title = {{Trading Green}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2008}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/TRADE_Climate_EN_Jul08.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }