Search results

Although free trade law and environmental law especially contained in multi lateral environmental agreements (MEAs) are more or less compatible, however, some twenty MEAs might create a conflicting situation with the GATT/WTO regime. Efforts through CTESS are being made to make the two regimes compatible with each other. But an amicable solution towards harmonizing them still seems to be far. It is said that if all WTO Member states have the political will to agree to one suggestion, the problem can be solved. But due to politicization of the WTO, a common view is difficult to be reached. It is true that all states want protection of the environment. It is evident from the fact that many MEAs have relatively a large number of members, and their member states are sincerely working on enforcing treaty norms contained in them. But when it comes to a conflict situation with international trade, differences among them becomes eminent. In spite of this, an optimistic view that the two regimes can be made complementary to each other is still being given importance. It is for this reason that states are forwarding their suggestions to the CTESS and the discussion is being carried forward on those suggestions. The paper critically examines the reality of ‘conflict or congruity’ between free trade law and environmental law, evaluates various suggestions to make the two regimes compatible with each other, and offers one suggestion that can bring about harmony and will be viable.

The article is the first attempt to investigate the association between the size of trade values in environmental commodities (TVEC) and environmental quality (EQ).

The authors employ two dimensions, including human health’s and ecosystem’s protection, to capture the environmental performance. The six-digit level of the 2007 version of the Harmonized System was used to extract data on commerce in the Combined List of Environmental Goods (CLEG) goods from the UN Comtrade database (HS 2007). The authors apply the formal empirical estimation procedure to a global sample of 28 low-income and lower-middle-income (LI&LMICs) and 19 upper-middle-income (UMICs) and 31 high-income (HICs) during the 2000–2019 period.

The estimates indicate that the size of TVEC has a favorable impact on QE. The authors find robust results by utilizing various econometric techniques and various measures of TVEC. To shed light on the TVEC-QE nexus, the authors demonstrate the short-run and long-run effects of TVEC on QE and compare the influence of TVEC on QE in the subsamples based on a country’s income level. The results suggest that the TVEC-QE linkage is more likely to exist either in the long-run or high-income economies. Notably, the authors find that the influences of TVEC become more pronounced in a country characterized by a well-developed institutional system.

Governments should develop a more efficient policy framework to improve the relationship between trading activities and environmental performance. There has been a substantial increase in the global demands and requirements for environmental commodities, and the authors also realize the world economy has become greener and fairer. Therefore, it is vital for both developing and developed countries to catch this trend and satisfy the global demands and requirements to survive in foreign markets.

The article is the first attempt to investigate the association between trade values of environmental goods and environmental innovation.

Given the current global climate change concerns, environmental goods (EGs) exported from developing countries have been declining in recent years despite the growing economic importance of these nations. Researchers believe that the problem lies in the nature of technology and border-related constraints.

This research work considers a relatively modern approach known as the “stochastic frontier gravity-type model” to examine opportunities and challenges involving Bangladesh EGs exports.

It is evident that Bangladesh, despite its close links to the other East Asian economies, has not realized the true potential of EGs exported between 2001 and 2015.

This study highlights the removal of border-related constraints that will improve the country’s exports. The findings will make it possible to explain the constraints of the export of environmental goods.