Question

What is your rationale to critics who argue that the WTO single-mindedly promotes trade at the expense of the environment. Therefore, trade – or more broadly, globalization – needs to slow down. What is your view on the relationship between trade and the environment?

Answer 1

There is a profound connection between trade and the environment. While both may seem vastly different topics, when we think about it, trade is all about selling and purchasing products and services from each other.

When there is increased trade between countries, it leads to higher production (more chemicals and gases released into the environment), increased transportation of goods from one place to another through the air, water and road modes (higher air pollution, usage of non-renewable sources of energy) and increased requirement of setting up factories (cutting down forests), all of this lead to a great impact on the environment.

Therefore, as a responsible global organization, WTO must ensure that the increased trade between countries is not implemented at the cost of loss to the environment. A balance must be sought between the amount of trade and a revised strategy must be undertaken to ensure that countries around the world follow guidelines that can reduce the negative impact of globalization on the planet.