The WTO's Environmental Progress

The linkage between trade and the environment stands out asan important challenge in global economic governance. Over thepast decade, the WTO devoted considerable attention to thisissue and included it on the agenda of the Doha Round. In parallel,the jurisprudence on trade and the environment has experiencedsignificant advances. This study provides an overview of themain institutional changes at the WTO and of the developmentsin the jurisprudence most relevant to the interaction betweenthe environment and trade. Specifically, this study focuseson General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Article XXand takes note of many positive (and a few negative) featuresof the key Appellate Body decisions.