WTO Negotiations and EGS: Sectoral Initiative on Climate Change

The Environmental Area Initiative (EAI) approach to negotiating environmental goods andenvironments in the WTO, proposed by Cottier and Baracol (UNCTAD, 2009), aims to offer analternative and more viable approach to linking trade negotiations and climate change mitigationpolicies. It builds upon the win–win philosophy entailed in many facets of the Doha DevelopmentAgenda. The EAI is not limited to negotiating tariffs and services commitments, as approaches inthe EGS negotiations so far are, but can be seen as a consolidating approach which brings togetherall WTO issues pertinent to the environmental area/s identified.