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Japan-Canada Climate-Related Case a First for WTO
On Wednesday, 20 June, the WTO saw the start of the first climate change-related dispute in its history. After much expert discussion on the issue, the WTO might now be beholden to rule on the relationship between green energy support and national stimulus measures. With the establishment of the panel to hear the case, the protracted…
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IMO Adopts Mandatory Energy Efficiency Standards
The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted mandatory measures to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from international shipping, when it met recently at IMO headquarters in London. The 15 July decision marks the first ever mandatory global greenhouse gas reduction regime for an international industry sector. Shipping currently…
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Tensions Build over Chinese Rare Earth Quotas
China’s recent announcement that it would further tighten its rare earths export quotas came as a surprise to trading partners, as the move came on the heels of a WTO decision finding that similar restrictions on raw materials violate trade rules. Meanwhile, China is still debating whether to appeal the raw materials ruling, as the…
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Brussels Unveils Long-Awaited Plan to Overhaul Fisheries
Last week’s long awaited European Commission proposal to overhaul the bloc’s policy on fisheries is being criticised by environmentalists and some parliamentarians for failing to do enough to address sustainability issues. The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reform proposal - over a year in the making - contains provisions to reduce harvests of the most over-exploited…
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WIPO Members Extend Mandate on TK, Genetic Resources, Cultural Expressions
Members of the committee that negotiates genetic resources and related subjects at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) have agreed to renew their mandate, which was about to expire this year. The IGC’s decision will be submitted to WIPO’s General Assembly (GA) in late September for formal adoption. In its ten years history it is the…
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WIPO Meeting Tackles Climate-Friendly Technologies
The possibility of leveraging innovation and intellectual property to address the climate change challenge was the key focus of an 11-12 July World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) conference. However, the “Innovation and Climate Change” gathering saw developed and developing countries express contrasting views on the role of intellectual property in the diffusion of climate friendly…
- Opinion
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The Brazilian Forest Code: Exploitation and Preservation
Brazil has been experiencing a tense debate over environmental legislation. In addition to the historical weakness in surveillance, Brazil has recently witnessed misconduct by the government, which has relaxed and breached environmental standards for hasty approval of major projects - a fact worsened by the existence of large hydropower and sports events projects to be…
- In Brief
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WTO Sides with Mexico in Tuna-Dolphin Case: Sources
The WTO has sided with Mexico in the long-running US-Mexico tuna fish dispute, multiple sources have now confirmed. While the details of the report are not yet known, the ruling likely means the US may soon be required to change its policy on “dolphin-safe” labelling, thereby lifting an effective twenty year ban on Mexican yellow-fin…
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Australian Government to Tackle Carbon Emissions with Tax on Polluters
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard released a plan on 10 July to tax Australia’s worst carbon polluters, in a move aimed at reducing carbon pollution by five percent below 2000 levels by 2020 and by 80 percent below 2000 levels by 2050. Once implemented, the Clean Energy Agreement could be the largest emissions trading scheme…
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Significance of Forests as Carbon Sinks Underestimated, Study Shows
The world’s forests absorb much more carbon dioxide than previously thought, a study released by the American journal Science reported last week. According to the study, forests can absorb up to 2.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) each year - about one-third of the carbon dioxide released through the burning of fossil fuels or…
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Peru’s GMO Moratorium not WTO Compatible: President
A ten-year moratorium on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has been rejected by Alan García, Peru’s outgoing president who says the move breaches the country’s WTO commitments. The bill will now be sent back to Congress for reformation. The legislation, which was approved by Peruvian Congress on 7 June, declared a ten-year moratorium on the entry of…
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Tit-for-Tat in Ukraine-Moldova WTO Row?
Moldova has filed a dispute at the WTO, claiming that that the taxes Ukraine charges on foreign spirits are excessive. The move comes less than a month after the WTO established a panel at Ukraine’s request over “environmental charges” applied by Moldova to the beverages sector (see Bridges Trade BioRes, 30 May 2011). In last week’s…
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US Ethanol Subsidies, Import Tariffs under Fire
US Senator Dianne Feinstein joined forces with farm state Senators Amy Klobuchar, a fellow Democrat, and John Thune, a Republican, to announce an agreement on 7 July that would cut the 45 cent a gallon ethanol tax break and the 54 cent a gallon ethanol import tariff, while enacting new subsidies for ethanol infrastructure. The…
- Events
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Events
If you would like to see your event listed here or are interested in finding out more about publicising your event through ICTSD, write to biores@ictsd.ch. For a more comprehensive list of events for the trade and environment community visit the BioRes online calendar. Coming up in the next six weeks (25 July - 5 September)…
- Resources
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Resources
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 to the editor. IDRC: 40 YEARS OF IDEAS, INNOVATION, AND IMPACT. By Bruce Muirhead and Ronald N. Harpelle (2010). This book focuses on the International Development Research Centre of Canada as…