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If you have a relevant resource (books, papers, bulletins, etc.) you would like to see announced in this section, please forward a copy for review by the Bridges staff to Malena Sell at msell@ictsd.ch.
RECONCILING ENVIRONMENT AND TRADE: SECOND EDITION. By Edith Brown Weiss, John H. Jackson and Nathalie Bernasconi-Osterwalder. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 2008. The volume focuses on five cases, all of which remain cornerstone trade-environment cases of the WTO. In their penetrating analyses of these cases and their vast implications, the authors take into account the entire disciplines of both trade law and environmental law, noting especially the points of friction between the multilateral instruments in each field and the developing jurisprudence of the WTO Dispute Settlement with regard to the exceptions specified in Article XX of the GATT. The articulated standpoints of all parties—governments and NGOs on both sides of the controversy—are probed for “agendas,” whether stated or unstated. For further information see http://www.brill.nl/product_id28363.htm
PLANE TRUTHS: DO THE ECONOMIC ARGUMENTS FOR AVIATION GROWTH REALLY FLY? By Victoria Johnson and Martin Cottingham. Nef with WDM, September 2008. This report from nef (the new economics foundation) explores the impact of aviation growth on human development. The study demonstrates that the economic benefits of international tourism to developing nations have been overstated, and in fact, poses more of a risk than a benefit. To minimise carbon emissions, the report suggests that high-speed rail travel could replace between 45 and 75 percent of all outbound flights from the UK. To achieve this, the report recommends a higher differential on tax on short-haul flights to both limit demand and generate revenue for investment in alternatives to air travel, and for a fund to help developing nations adapt to climate change. To access the publication visit http://neweconomics.org/gen/z_sys_PublicationDetail.aspx?pid=261
MALAYSIAN PALM OIL: GREEN GOLD OR GREEN WASH? By Friends of the Earth International, October 2008. This report looks at the environmental impacts of the Malaysian palm oil industry. While Malaysian palm oil is advertised as a “green” product, the report raises concerns about the “carbon debt” of palm oil, the destruction of tropical forests, and the effects on indigenous communities, especially focusing on those in the state of Sarawak. To access the publication visit http://www.foei.org/en/publications/agrofuels/agrofuels
CLIMATE CHANGE AND FORESTS: EMERGING POLICY AND MARKET OPPORTUNITIES. By Charlotte Streck, Robert O’Sullivan, Toby Janson-Smith and Richard G Tarasofsky. Chatham House, October 2008. After framing forestry activities within the larger context of climate-change policy, the contributors analyse the operation and efficacy of market-based mechanisms for forest conservation and climate change. Drawing on project examples from around the world, the authors present concrete recommendations for policymakers, project developers, and market participants. They discuss sequestration rights in Chile, carbon offset programs in Australia and New Zealand, and emerging policy incentives at all levels of the U.S. government. The book also explores the different voluntary schemes for carbon crediting, provides an overview of carbon accounting best practices, and presents tools for use in future sequestration and offset programs. It concludes by considering a range of incentive options for slowing deforestation and protecting the world’s remaining forests. To access the publication visit http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/books/view/-/id/966/
MAKING CERTIFICATION WORK FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: THE CASE OF BIOFUELS. UNCTAD, 2008. This UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) publication reviews biofuel certification schemes that are already in place or are being developed, including: benefits and drawbacks of such schemes; implications for developing countries; and possible ramifications of certification in the context of the World Trade Organisation. The study concludes with some suggestions on how to ensure that biofuels certification is indeed conducive to sustainable production. To access the publication visit http://www.unctad.org/en/docs/ditcted20081_en.pdf
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