International Law and its Relationship to Trade, Environment and Sovereingty

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
• INTRODUCTION
• Multilateral Trading Agreements (MTAs) versus Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs)
• Trade liberalization

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This dissertation examines the intricate relationship between international trade and environmental regulations, focusing on the potential contradictions and overlaps between the World Trade Organization (WTO) and multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). The case study of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety serves to evaluate the principle research question: how do different approaches to the environment within the WTO and MEAs contradict each other?

• The growing density of international institutions and the resulting overlap between agreements.
• The complexities of negotiation within the WTO and its impact on the coherence between trade and environmental regimes.
• The influence of WTO jurisprudence on the development of new environmental agreements, particularly in terms of addressing legal inconsistencies.
• The need to integrate perspectives from international law and international relations to better understand cross-over issues between trade and environmental regimes.
• The role of both trade and environmental agreements in achieving a sustainable future, with emphasis on the impact on developing countries.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The first section, "Background of the Study", introduces the context of the study by highlighting the increasing significance of environmental concerns within international discourse. The impact of unsustainable development, the role of both trade and environmental agreements in achieving sustainability, and the challenges in harmonizing these two regimes are discussed.

The "Introduction" section delves deeper into the research question by examining the increasing density of international institutions and the resulting overlap of regulations. It analyzes the challenges associated with achieving coherence between the WTO and MEAs, particularly due to their conflicting norms. The section also explores the evolution of international law and its impact on international relations.

The "Multilateral Trading Agreements (MTAs) versus Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs)" section explores the contrasting roles of trade and environmental regimes in achieving their goals. It highlights the different sets of agreements, motivations, and obligations that govern each system.

The "Trade liberalization" section delves into the growing influence of the WTO as a global governing body, examining its impact on national economies and its evolving role in areas beyond traditional trade policy. It emphasizes the need for greater accountability, access, and balance of trade, particularly for developing countries.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This research focuses on the complex relationship between international trade and environmental protection. Key terms include multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, biosafety, sustainable development, trade liberalization, international law, and the evolution of international institutions.