Creating Space for the Environment in the World Trade Organization

                In the overwhelmingly anarchic arena of global environmental politics, the regulation and implementation of policy regarding the ecological well-being of the Earth is no small feat. Due to the differing interests of states regarding economic, political, and social gains, agreements over environmental policy are sparse and somewhat lacking as a result of the absence of a legitimate international organization which deals solely with environmental conflicts. With this in mind, the role of the World Trade Organization, as one of the most effective and legitimate international organizations recognized today, should extend to include environmental regulation. Though opponents may object to this coalition of environmental objectives with economic endeavors, the inherent link between environment and trade make this affiliation a rational move.

                It is necessary to note that the majority of the outcry against a formal alignment between the World Trade Organization and environmental policy (WTO) stems from environmental activist groups and members of civil societies. The primary concerns of such organizations are that the WTO will implement parameters which will prioritize trade and economic activity over environmental concerns. A brief look into a recent history shows that these trepidations lack proper backing; in the sensationalized “Shrimp Turtle” case explored by DeSombre and Barkin, the WTO actually ruled in a way that is now, “more focused on sea turtle protection, and less focused on the protection of the United States shrimping industry.” (DeSombre 2002). The ability of the WTO to adapt policy and incorporate trade regulations in such a way to protect environmental assets truly highlights the possibility of a future in which such a renowned global organization can hold states to a higher standards for environmental directives and standards.   

                A key component of this integration of environmental management into the mainframe of the World Trade Organization’s agenda would involve three major components, as detailed by DeSombre and Barkin. In an effort to protect states from favoritism and avoid the perpetuation of the North/South divide, it is necessary to apply the policy multilaterally, to ensure that the law is not arbitrary, and to validate that the law’s primary goal is to protect the environment. With these three factors in mind, it will be easier to increase the transparency of legislation as well as to create a more universally applicable set of regulations. Additionally, this would eliminate the likelihood of states shirking regulatory policies under the excuse that they are unfairly written in favor of specific states.  

                This future would require a drastic incorporation of environmental activist networks in order to be successful. A primary critique of the World Trade Organization’s involvement in environmental policy is the lack of expertise in the area. As the WTO currently consists primarily of trade specialists, down the road it would be necessary to involve the epistemological communities which comprise the sphere of environmental activists. A successful incorporation of the information politics garnered by the environmental arena would enable the WTO to ensure that the policies regulated were truly in the interest of environmental protection and sustainability. In accordance with the ecological modernist logic, trade is ultimately a catalyst for environmental protection and sustainability, and by integrating environmental experts in the field of trade, this link between economic interaction and ecological preservation can be strengthened to its fullest extent.   

                In its current state, the World Trade Organization possesses the potential to effectively regulate not only the trade between states, but also the environmental standards of such patterns. Perceived as one of the most effective international organizations in a system which is otherwise seen as anarchic, the WTO can extend its degree of political organization with a gradual series of changes. As an organization which has continued to grow as a supporter of environmental protection, demonstrated by instances such as the Shrimp Turtle case, through a coalition with environmental activist groups and epistemological communities the World Trade Organization can follow this trajectory of environmental policy governance well into the future. While there are those who firmly assert that the two realms of trade and ecological well-being are distinct, and that the WTO should shy away from involvement in both affairs, the reality is that no other organization in the international political community has the ability to perpetuate change and policy to the extent that the World Trade Organization can.  

DeSombre, E. R., & Barkin, J. (2002). Turtles and Trade: The WTO's Acceptance of Environmental Trade Restrictions. Global Environmental Politics, 2(1), 12-18. doi:10.1162/152638002317261445