Key Issues and Information Resources

Sustainable
Agri-Food Production
and Consumption
Forum

	Introduction
	Agri-food Production and Bio-diversity
	Water Use and Water Pollution
	Energy
	Climate Change
	Food Safety and Biotechnology
	Use of Chemicals
	Desertification
	Trade and Environment
	Consumption
	Make a link to your web site

KEY ISSUES AND INFORMATION SOURCES -
Trade and Environment

It is highly unlikely that developing countries will meet their market needs for agricultural products over the course of the next few decades. According to an estimate by the International Agriculture Policy Research Institute for example, Asia’s grain import needs will double between 1995 and 2020.

The trade of agri-food inputs and products plays an important role in world food supply and economic development. The benefits of trade can contribute to the improvement of food production and distribution, if accompanied by appropriate social and economic policies. It is hoped that globalisation will be instrumental in encouraging food to be grown where it is most efficiently grown and to put food where its need is the greatest.

However, associated with trade, is the threat of increased environmental degradation. Trade in agri-food products creates significant transport and energy-related environmental impacts. Moreover, the loss of resource stocks and ecosystem services caused by agri-food production activities are not reflected in the prices of the products.

What needs to be better understood are the environmental consequences of current agri-food trade practice as well as how to develop global markets that capture both the positive and negative externalities of agri-food production so that productivity increases and environmental degradation is minimised.

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Information resources provided by various stakeholders:

UNEP’s PROGRAMME ON ENVIRONMENT AND TRADE

aims at contributing to efforts leading to the development and implementation of policy packages which promote the integration of environmental considerations in trade policies and agreements.

Organisation web site: http://www.unep.ch/etu/.

WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO)

is the only international organization dealing with the global rules of trade between nations. Its main function is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible.

Organisation web site: http://www.wto.org.

Specific pages of interest:

http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/envir_e/envir_e.htm - In this address, you can find WTO’s activities in trade and environment.

WTOWATCH

is a global information centre on the WTO, trade, and sustainable development. This site is designed and developed by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy Digital Organizing Group. From this web site, you can learn more about the issues surrounding the World Trade Organization and find press-related resources and information on the WTO, global trade policy, and sustainable development.

Organisation web site: http://www.wtowatch.org.

THE TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER / INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

was created to provide information to the community of internet users who have specific need for information on trade as it relates to social and economics development. This site is a joint initiative of the World Trade Organization and the Economic Development Institut of the World Bank.The Trade and Development Center offers information, analysis and comment on social and economic development and how these are related to trade. This website also gives an opportunity to exchange views.

Organisation web site: http://www.itd.org/.

ORGANIZATION FOR EECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD)

The interface of trade policies and environmental policies has been the subject of the work in the OECD Joint Working Party on Trade and Environment since the group's creation in 1991. The aim of Joint Working Party on Trade and Environment (JWPTE) is to promote compatibility and mutual reinforcement between trade and environment policies and thereby to promote sustainable development. In fulfillment of this objective, the JWPTE has undertaken analysis on a range of topics that integrate trade and environment issues and policies. In this web site, there are informations on Methodologies for environmental assessment, sustainable product policies and trade, the environmental effect of trade, trade measures in MEA’s and transparency and consultation.

Organisation web site: http://www.oecd.org/EN/about/0,,EN-about-358-10-no-no-no-0,00.html.

INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR TRADE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (ICTSD)

was established in Geneva in September 1996 to contribute to a better understanding of development and environment concerns in the context of international trade. The ICTSD Resource Centre provides information online on trade and environment and agriculture and food.

Organisation web site: http://www.ictsd.org/default.htm.

TRADE AND THE ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME of The World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD)

works towards promoting better public understanding of this complex subject and to examining the linkages between trade and environmental management and protection.

Organisation web site: http://www.wbcsd.org.

ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION (APEC)

was established in 1989 in response to the growing interdependence among Asia-Pacific economies. Begun as an informal dialogue group, APEC has since become the primary regional vehicle for promoting open trade and practical economic co-operation. Its goal is to advance Asia-Pacific economic dynamism and sense of community.

Organisation web site: http://www1.apecsec.org.sg.

Specific pages of interest:

http://www1.apecsec.org.sg/workgroup/food_sys.html - APEC has prepared a proposal for an APEC Food System.

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (IISD)

The work program of the Unit consists of three main components: economics, trade and financial services. The trade components of the programme focuses on improving countries understanding of the linkages between trade and environment and enhancing their capacities in developing mutually supportive trade and environment policies, and providing technical input to the trade and environment debate through a transparent and a broad-based consultative process.

Organisation web site: http://www.iisd.org/pdf/envirotrade_handbook.pdf.

Specific pages of interest:

http://www.iisd.org/trade/handbook/default.htm - This handbook, a joint effort of the International Institute for Sustainable Development and the United Nations Environment Programme, is aimed mainly at those with some knowledge about trade, environment or development, but not expert on the intersection of the three. In the specific page there is the work program of the Unit.

INSTITUTE FOR AGRICULTURE AND TRADE POLICY (IATP)

Its mission is to create environmentally and economically sustainable rural communities and regions through sound agriculture and trade policy. The Trade and Agriculture Program of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy focuses on international trade policies, practices, and treaties that affect consumers, farmers and rural communities in the United States and around the world.

Organisation web site: http://www.iatp.org.

THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR TRADE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (ITCSD)

As an independent non-profit and non-governmental organisation, ICTSD engages a broad range of actors in ongoing dialogue about trade and sustainable development. With a wide network of governmental, non-governmental and inter-governmental partners, ICTSD plays a unique systemic role as a provider of original, non-partisan reporting and facilitation services at the intersection of international trade and sustainable development. With a view to integrating principles of sustainable development more fully into the multilateral trading system, ICTSD engages in a range of activities relating to trade and environment, with a focus on the needs and concerns of developing countries in this area. ICTSD facilitates interaction between policy-makers and those outside the system to help trade policy become more supportive of sustainable development. On this section of the site, there is a comprehensive information about work programme, staff, funding and governance.

Organisation web site: http://www.ictsd.org/issarea/environment/index.htm.

GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT & TRADE STUDY (GETS)

is an organisation founded in 1995 by several leaders in the trade and environment field, dedicated to promoting better understanding of, and communicating about issues regarding international trade, environmental protection, the use of natural resources, and sustainable development policy. The GETS web site provides information about its clearinghouse, research centres and hotlinks.

Organisation web site: http://www.gets.org.