Search Climate Insights Directory

This report analyzes the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and its implications for environmental policy makers. It argues that the GATS, which functions as both a trade and investment agreement, may constrain the ability of national and sub-national governments to implement environmental regulations. The authors highlight risks associated with market access obligations, national treatment standards, and proposed disciplines on domestic regulation, while recommending the use of Sustainability Impact Assessments and the introduction of a broader environmental exception clause in the GATS text.