International Trade, Climate Change, and Environmental Interfaces: UK Legal Brief Series
The legal brief series provide analysis and input for the environment, climate and trade debate in future UK trade negotiations, based on existing best practices.
International trade of goods and services has become an important determinant of natural resource depletion and environmental degradation. In 2016, the United Kingdom (UK) exported goods and services totaling £547.5 billion, and trade is forecasted to grow as the UK concludes more trade deals with countries outside of the European Union. At the moment these trade deals receive very little public scrutiny. New, modern UK trade agreements should contain strong climate provisions that support sustainable development and foster rather than frustrate climate mitigation, adaptation and financing efforts. Those new agreements could also help to reduce the negative impacts of trade and investment on the environment and on climate change response efforts. In recent years, the world has seen a proliferation of trade and investment agreements which reflect a growing awareness of climate change and sustainable development concerns. Recent surveys document over 140 new FTAs that explicitly commit to sustainable development, and examples of such agreements could include EU-CARIFORUM EPA, US-PERU TPA, TPP and CETA. In these agreements, Parties display innovation and experimentation. These briefing notes provide analysis and expertise, to assist the UK, and others involved in negotiating new trade relationships.
Legal Brief Series
Briefing 1 – The UK’s Trade-Climate Agenda
Briefing 2 -Trade-Climate Interlinkages
Briefing 3 – Understanding Current US Trade Agreement Practice
Briefing 4 -The UKs Draft Text in Comparison
Briefing 5 – Economic Stimulus, Trade and Investment Agreements
Briefing 6 – UK-Japan FTA Comparative
Briefing 7 – Progress on sustainable development through trade and investment dispute settlement
