Africa - TIPS

• Trade and Environment: South Africa Case Studies - Full Report
  This study looks at three trade-related sectors in South Africa: coal, steel and citrus. In the coal and steel sectors, it forecasts the future trends in the industry and surveys the key environmental concerns. It also looks for threats to South Africa's exports based on environmental concerns or multilateral environmental agreements in their export markets. In the citrus sector, it details the way in which some producers have gone beyond domestic environmental standards in an effort to penetrate certain high-standard export markets.

Workshop Papers and Reports

• Proceedings of the TKN Phase I South Africa Workshop
  Report of the TKN Trade and Sustainable Development Workshop, held July 1-2, 1999 in Midrand, South Africa.

Argentina - CENIT

• The Adoption of Transgenic Crops in Argentine Agriculture: An Open-ended Story - Summary
  This study looks at the impacts, mostly in terms of economic effects, but also to some extent looking at social and environmental effects, of Argentina's unprecedented mass adoption of genetically modified soy. It also examines the regulatory system in Argentina for approval of such crops, assessing its strengths and weaknesses.

• Environmental Improvements Without Environmental Policies: Argentine Agriculture and Manufacturing Exports in the 1990s - Full Report (Español) - Summary (English / Español)
  This study looks at Argentina's experience with unilateral liberalization, and the impacts on two sectors: agriculture in the Pampas region and manufacturing. It finds that, contrary to expectations, liberalization has not led to a cleaner pattern of manufacturing exports. In agriculture, however, it finds that the rapid expansion of production has actually been accompanied by a number of unplanned environmental benefits, mainly because of the additional resources available to growers under a liberalized regime, and the new technologies they have adopted.

Bangladesh - IUCN

• Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Barriers to Trade and its Impact on the Environment: The Case of Shrimp Farming in Bangladesh - Summary
  Bangladesh (IUCN, North-South University): This study examines the shrimp industry in Bangladesh, focusing in particular on the effects of the standardization of production and processing methods resulting from sanitary and phyto-sanitary agreements. The production of shrimp has exploded in recent years, and it has become an important source of foreign exchange. Yet, it suffers from significant production inefficiencies, and is exposed to social and environmental risks. Standardized production and processing methods have proven hard to impose on small shrimp farms. Capacity building for shrimp farmers is required, to make them aware of the impact of chemicals and the risks of the shrimp business. The report concludes that a multi-stakeholder process is necessary to build trust among farmers and processors, to make them aware of their responsibilities and to address the high commissions taken by middlemen.

China - CAITEC

• Green Box Support Measures Under the WTO Agreement on Agriculture and Chinese Agricultural Sustainable Development - Summary
  China (CAITEC): This study examines the Chinese position relative to the ongoing negotiations on the Agreement on Agriculture and addresses the challenges of sustainable development in agriculture arising from structural changes generated from markets opening under the current international framework. The paper states the goal of agro-policy should be diverted from merely seeking quantity, as in the past, to more diversified and balanced development, taking as priority environmental protection, income growth for local farmers, and enhancement of product quality. The paper suggests the role of Green Box measures and WTO disciplines on agricultural support needs to be reformed to incorporate more mechanisms that support sustainable agriculture in developing countries and minimize the trade distorting effects that harm the agriculture and rural community of the developing countries.

China - PRCEE

• Trade and Sustainable Development in China - Full Report
  This study looks at three cases of trade and sustainable development linkages in China. The first is the environmental effects of trade in leather products. The second is the introduction of regulations in China's export markets to address the environmental problems of textile dyes. The third is the potential markets for Chinese-produced organic foods. The study makes recommendations in all three areas.

Chile - RIDES

• Green Markets: Often A Lost Opportunity For Developing Countries - Full Report - Summary
  Chile (CIPMA/RIDES): This study comprises two case studies: organic wine and eco-labelled forest products. In both cases it looks at the prospects for exports to the EU—the biggest potential market—trying to assess the barriers posed by the EU's certification systems. It also looks at the domestic institutions for supporting the two products, concluding that the deficits in this area are more of a barrier than the EU systems.

Costa Rica - CINPE

• The relationship between trade and sustainable development of agriculture in Central America - Full Report - Summary
  The study characterizes the evolution in trade of agricultural products in Central America and provides insight on how to remove environmental impacts of production and provide support systems for agricultural and trade systems that promote conservation of natural resources. It concludes that strengthening institutional support of sustainable agricultural systems, cooperation among environmental and agricultural departments with proposed recommendations for multilateral trade rules that can benefit sustainable agriculture in Central America.

India - CUTS

• The Marine Seafood Export Supply Chain in India: Current State and Influence of Import Requirements - Full Report
  The study looks at the seafood export sector in India, analyzing it from small-scale producers up through the value chain to final exporters. It analyzes how some parts of the chain face difficulties in complying with standards set by major export markets, and identifies the sustainability implications. It finishes with a number of recommendations for action to increase the welfare of the poorest in the chain, improve compliance with standards and foster environmental sustainability.

International

• Agri-Environment and Rural Development in the Doha Round - Full Report - Summary
  Agri-Environment and Rural Development in the Doha Round: Aimed at shedding light on the possible options for developing countries to make use of agri-environmental and rural development measures within the framework of the WTO, this paper surveys those programs used in the Quad that are considered non- or, at most, minimally trade distorting, non-discriminatory and otherwise consistent with current WTO rules. Furthermore, it tries to illustrate the possible outcomes in the ongoing negotiations in the WTO on the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) from a developing country viewpoint, related to the types of mechanisms surveyed above.

• Economic and Environmental Impacts of First Generation Generation Genetically Modified Crops - Full Report - Summary
  Economic and Environmental Impacts of First Generation Genetically Modified Crops: Lessons from the United States: This paper surveys the recent scientific literature in the U.S. to try to find lessons for policy-makers in Argentina, where GM soy, maize and cotton are in use. It finds that if the efficiency of GM crops and glyphosate (Roundup) are to be preserved, there must be changes to cropping techniques used in Argentina.

• Preserving Policy Space for Sustainable Development: The Subsidies Agreement at the WTO - Full Report - Commentary
  This paper addresses the need to preserve the ability of nations to use subsidies in order to correct distortions in the global economy and spur innovation for sustainable development. It shows that the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM) created significant policy space for nations to address technological, poverty and environmental problems—all seminal issues for sustainable development—but that such space no longer exists.

• Domestic Import Regulations for Genetically Modified Organisms and their Compatibility with WTO Rules - Full Report - Summary
  This paper surveys the regulatory regimes in key importing countries for imports of genetically modified agricultural products. It is updated to August 2003.

Nepal - SAWTEE

• Market Access Barriers to Select Nepalese Agricultural Exports - Full Report
  The study looks into the key barriers faced by Nepalese agricultural exporters despite accession to the WTO, and suggests ways in which exports could be enhanced while attempting to minimize such barriers. The study recommends that the policy-makers as well as trade negotiators of Nepal need to differentiate between regional negotiations, in which they should focus on increased market access, and multilateral negotiations, where deep commitments would mean preference erosion for Nepal.

Pakistan - SDPI

• Compliance with International Standards in the Marine Fisheries Sector: A Supply Chain Analysis from Pakistan - Full Report
  A case study of coastal fisheries in Pakistan highlights difficulties faced in complying with foreign harvesting and processing standards. The study undertakes a supply chain analysis in the marine fisheries sector and looks at two links in this chain, namely compliance with international standards in the harvesting and processing stages. The analysis is driven by two concerns. First, failure to comply can adversely affect national exports. Second, the livelihoods of coastal fishing communities are at risk.

• The Costs and Benefits of Compliance with International Environmental Standards - Full Report - Summary
  The research quantifies the micro level costs and benefits associated with compliance with international environmental standards in the textile and leather sectors, assesses the role of the public and private sectors in implementing pollution mitigation measures and identifies existing gaps. The analysis confirms the win-win premise that both efficiency and environmental gains result from compliance with international environmental standards. A combination of importer specifications and efficiency gains ensure compliance within the universe of exporters. At the same time, certain grey areas relating to transparency and accountability need to be explored further.

• Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Costs Associated with Cloth and Leather Exports from Pakistan - Full Report
  This study looks at two key export industries in Pakistan: the leather industry and the cotton and textiles industry. It estimates the environmental impacts of trade liberalization along the lines laid out in the Uruguay Round's Agreement on Agriculture, focusing on increases in production to fill expanded quotas. The projected increases in pollution, assuming current technologies, are significant. It also estimates the costs in both sectors of adopting clean technologies, and finds these to be in most cases quite low.

Workshop Papers and Reports

• Proceedings of the TKN Phase I Pakistan Workshop

• Environmental Impact of Cotton Production and Trade
  The purpose of this paper is to explore prospects and mechanisms for a transition to sustainable production of cotton and cotton products in Pakistan (and more generally in the South), and the effect of international trade on such prospects. The analysis looks at the differing capacities for change in the different sections of the cotton commodity chain, and explores the policy implications.

• Promoting Sustainable Trade: The Case of Environmental Requirements
  This paper looks at India's experience with environmental requirements in export markets. It surveys the problems Indian industry has encountered with such requirements, and makes recommendations for preventing such difficulties in the future.

Vietnam - IUCN/MOFI

• Expanding Shrimp Aquaculture on Sandy Land in Vietnam - Full Report
  This study looks at the potential for environmentally-friendly economic improvement in poor areas of Vietnam through sandy land shrimp aquaculture. It examines the potential environmental and economic impacts of the technology, the export market and its potential as a tool for achieving sustainable development.

Vietnam - MOSTE

• Trade and Sustainable Development in Vietnam: Full Report
  The Vietnam study was broader than that conducted in the other partner countries. The report covers trade and environment linkages at a general level, and also looks at agriculture and forestry, industrial products, eco-labelling and environmental management system certification. It also looks briefly at two case studies: the coffee sector and the Cau Tree export processing company.

Workshop Papers and Reports

• Proceedings of the TKN Phase I Vietnam Workshop
  Report of the trade and environment workshop held in Hanoi, April 9-10, 1999.