The Relationship Between Multilateral Environmental Agreements and the WTO Regime: The Way Forward

Abstract

Conflict exists between World Trade Agreement (WTO) and Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). This is because governments when negotiating MEAs they include measures which sanction trade coercion and create provisions to restrict trade despite WTO rules to which the same Governments subscribe, does not permit such use of trade measures. After analyzing the relationship between the WTO and MEAs, this writing argues that the growing global interconnectedness, both in economic and environment, needs coherence and coordination in trade and environmental policies, rules, and institutions. Keywords: WTO, MEAs, GATT, Non Discrimination, MFN DOI : 10.7176/IAGS/77-03 Publication date: November 30 th 2019