WTO’s Ellard on Environmental Goods Agreement

As World Trade Organization members look at how trade measures can be used to combat climate change, restarting negotiations on an environmental goods agreement should be an option, WTO Director General Angela Ellard said at the Washington International Trade Association’s annual conference. Negotiations on an EGA broke down in 2016.

But a deal to promote trade in environmental goods and services particularly would help developing countries concerned they are being left behind by industrialized countries’ de-carbonization measures, she noted. The WTO has estimated that an EGA covering a range of products could provide a 5 percent increase in exports by 2030 and a 0.6 percent decrease in emissions. “I hope that our members agree that we want to step up and do this,” Ms. Ellard said. There are signs that WTO members want to reinvigorate the EGA talks, “but we need more enthusiasm to get this launched,” she said.

The first step would be coming up with a list of products. That list could be based on Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum’s already agreed upon list of environmental goods. Given technological advances since the WTO’s EGA talks stalled out, the list would have to be updated.