This paper examines the potential for conflict between the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and trade measures contained in Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs).
The WTO is the preeminent political and legal institution at the international level concerning global trade. It provides a forum for negotiations on trade liberalization, settling trade disputes, and administering and enforcing the WTO agreements that bind the organization’s 134 Members. MEAs, in tum, are agreements among governments to cooperatively address shared environmental problems. During recent years the importance and scope of MEAs has increased dramatically as the international community struggles to address increasing global environmental problems. Today, around 200 MEAs exist to address these problems, and to coordinate the environmental protection activities of states towards sustainable development.