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IS WORLD TRADE LAW A BARRIER TO SAVING OUR CLIMATE? By Friends of the Earth Europe and the Centre for International Environmental Law, September 2009. As the UNFCCC climate negotiations progress and the WTO ministerial approaches, the nexus between climate-related measures and trade rules becomes even more significant. This presents challenges and opportunities for both the climate and trade regimes. This report addresses the relationship between multilateral climate change rules and WTO rules; and the relationship between WTO rules and domestic climate-related measures, including labels and standards, fuel efficiency schemes, border carbon adjustments, and green climate subsidies. The publication can be accessed in full at http://www.ciel.org/Publications/ClimateTradeReport_foee-ciel_sep09.pdf
TRADE AND THE ENVIRONMENT: FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES IN INTERNATIONAL LAW, WTO LAW, AND LEGAL THEORY. By Erich Vranes. Oxford University Press, January 2009. The relevance of the WTO legal system for environmental protection is a central topic in general international law, WTO law and international environmental law. It has spurred the discussion on fragmentation in international law in recent years. This book analyses these issues by examining the ‘horizontal’ interaction between WTO law and ‘other’ international law; the ‘vertical’ relationship between WTO law and domestic law; and the contents and the interrelations between fundamental provisions of WTO law. For more information and to purchase this book, visit http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199562787.do
GETTING BACK ON THE RAILS, CHRISTIAN AID’S NEW REPORT ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND DEVELOPMENT. Report by Christian Aid, October 2009. This report examines the different parts of the private sector and the ways in which they can contribute to development. The authors argue that developing country governments must be able to make the right policies, introduce the right regulations, and build the right institutions to strengthen the private sector’s contribution to development. They further maintain that foreign donors must stop forcing Washington Consensus policies - deregulation, liberalisation and privatisation - onto developing countries through their private sector development strategies. To access the report, visit http://www.christianaid.org.uk/images/getting-back-on-the-rails.pdf
INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND CLIMATE CHANGE. Policy brief by South Centre, 22 September 2009. The Waxman - Markey bill recently passed by the US House of Representatives envisages certain measures to restrict carbon dioxide emissions and requires the president to levy a charge on imports of carbon-intensive products from countries that do not adopt similar climate change measures. US importers would have to buy carbon ‘allowances’ for such products, purportedly to maintain a level playing field between domestic and overseas producers. The bill is directed particularly at emerging economies such as China, India, Brazil and South Africa. The policy brief is available at http://www.southcentre.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=45&Itemid=68
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