Free Trade and the Environment

Paper Summary:

Environmentalists argue that trade liberalization harms the environment. The decisions of the World Trade Organization (WTO), in particular, have been the subject of much criticism. This paper looks at the assertions of many environmentalists, using the work of Robert J. Carbaugh, among others, as a source. Three of the main assertions discussed are whether trade liberalization leads to a "race to the bottom" in environmental standards; trade liberalization conflicts with morally-conscious environmental policies; and, finally, trade liberalization encourages trade in products that create global pollution or "pollution havens".

From the Paper:

"Factory farming brings with it more pollution in every respect, for example, than sustainable agriculture. Factory farming uses toxic components to protect crops from pests and applies inorganic compounds to help the plants grow. In addition, the product of factory farms cannot be sold locally, so there is additional environmental pollution because of the long-distance hauling required. And that would be true for any product: if one is producing large amounts in one locale and moving smaller amounts to hundreds or even thousands of disparate points, then the opportunity "even the necessity" for creating environmental damage is greatly enhanced. Liberalizing trade agreements, by their very nature, impel production increases in far-flung locations."

More papers on Free Trade and the Environment:

• Analytical Essay # 129622 : "Free Trade and the Environment"
• Essay # 37342 : "NAFTA and the Environment in Mexico"
• Research Paper # 68067 : "Free Trade, U.S. Overseas Operations and the Environment"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: