Easy-Tracing Environmental Measures under WTO Law
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25041/lajil.v7i1.4456Abstract
The intersection between trade and environmental issues has become an unavoidable reality in the contemporary global landscape. The WTO, as the foremost global trade body, integrates elements of sustainable development across several of its legal frameworks. This study seeks to explore the presence and evolution of environmental measures within the framework of the WTO. This research further examines the practical recognition of environmental measures within international trade contexts. Through normative research and comparative case studies of state disputes in WTO’ Dispute Settlement Body, this study identifies a growing trend in the use of environmental measures within WTO legal frameworks. The findings indicate that environmental measures possess a degree of legitimacy and are generally well-received by the WTO dispute settlement mechanism. Ambitious emission targets set by developed countries have contributed to the development of novel types of environmental measures.
This indicates that the interconnection between trade and environmental concerns will continue to strengthen over time. Hence, ensuring a well-calibrated balance between trade obligations and environmental considerations requires the panel or Appellate Body to proceed with heightened prudence..
Keywords:
Environmental measures, general exception, the World Trade OrganizationReferences
Dupuy, Pierre-Marie and Jorge E. Vinuales. International Environmental Law, Second Edition, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018)
Hutchinson, Terry. Researching and Writing in Law, Fourth Edition, (Pyrmont, NSW: Thomson Reuters, 2018)
Imperiale, Victoria H. “Characterizing Air as An Exhaustible Natural Resource”. In Edith Brown Weiss, John H. Jackson, and Nathalie Bernasconi-Osterwalder. Reconciling Environment and Trade, (Brill: Nijhoff, 2008).
Moran, Niall. “The first twenty cases under GATT Article XX; tuna or shrimp dear?”. In International Economic Law: contemporary issues, ed. Adinolfi, Giovanna, Baetens, Freya, Caiado, José, Lupone, Angela and Micara, Anna G., eds. (Springer International Publishing, Switzerland, 2017): 20-21.
Van Asselt, Harro. “Trade and Climate Disputes before the WTO: Blocking or Driving Climate Action?”. In Ivano Alogna, Christine Bakker and Jean Pierre Gauci, Climate Change Litigation: Global Perspectives, (Leiden: Brill, 2021): 433–461.
Van den Bossche, Peter and Werner Zdouc. The Law and Policy of the World Trade Organization: Text, Cases, and Materials. Fifth Edition, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022): 356.
Wright, Richard W. “Acts and Omissions as Positive and Negative Causes”. In JW Neyers, E Chamberlain and SGA Pitel (eds). Emerging Issues in Tort law, (Hart Publishing, 2007).
WTO Secretariat. A Handbook on the WTO Dispute Settlement System, Second Edition, (Cambridge University Press, 2017).
Yanovich, Alan and Tania Voon. “What is the Measure at Issue?”. In Andrew D. Mitchell, Challenges and Prospects for the WTO. (London: Cameron May. 2005).
Auld, Kathleen, Linda Del Savio and Loretta Feris. “An Environmental Agreement in a Trade Court – Is the WTO's Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies Enforceable?”. World Trade Review 24, Issue 1, (February 2025) : 33-34.
Batra, Mukta and Namit Bafna. “Renewable Energy: The WTO's Position on Local Content Requirements”. Energy Law Journal 39, No. 2, (2018): 401-42.
Brack, Duncan. “Balancing Trade and the Environment”. International Affairs 71, No. 3, (July 1995): 513-514
Capuzzi, Bruno. “Is the European Union Deforestation Regulation WTO-Proof?”, Policy Brief – No. 18/2024. European Centre for International Political Economy, (2024): 4.
Charnovitz, Steve. “The World Trade Organization and the Environment”. Yearbook of International Environmental Law 8, Issue 1, (1997): 99, 113
Charnovitz, Steve. “A New WTO Paradigm for Trade and the Environment”. Singapore Yearbook of International Law 15, (2007): 15-40.
Chimni, B. S. “WTO and Environment: Shrimp-Turtle and EC-Hormones Cases”. Economic and Political Weekly 35, No. 20 (May 13-19, 2000): 1752-1761.
Englisch, Joachim and Tatiana Falcdo. “EU Carbon Border Adjusment and WTO Law, Part Two”. Environmental Law Reporter 51, No. 11, (November 2021): 10935-1094
Gentile, Dominic. “International Trade and the Environment: What is the Role of the WTO?”. Fordham Environmental Law Review 20, No.1, (2009): 202
Ghei, Nita. “Evaluating the WTO’s Two Step Test for Environmental Measures Under Article XX”. Colorado Environmental Law Journal 18, No. 1, (2006): 148-150.
Hall, John C. “Acts and Omissions”. The Philosophical Quarterly 39, No. 157, (October 1989): 404-405.
Heyl, Katharine. Et.al. “Free Trade, Environment, Agriculture, and Plurilateral Treaties: The Ambivalent Example of Mercosur, CETA, and the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement”. Sustainability 13, Issue 6 (2021): 4-5.
Howse, Robert and Joanna Langille. “Continuity and Change in the World Trade Organization: Pluralism Past, Present, and Future”. American Journal of International Law 117, Issue 1, (January 2023) : 3.
Lee, Hyo Won and Johann Park. “Free Trade and the Environment under the GATT/WTO”. Journal of International and Area Studies 28, No. 1 (June 2021): 129
Meyer, Timothy. “Explaining energy disputes at the World Trade Organization”. International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics 17, (2017): 411.
Neumayer, Eric. “Trade measures in multilateral environmental agreements and WTO rules: Potential for conflict, scope for reconciliation”. Aussenwirtschaft 55, No. 3, (2000): 1-24.
Persson, Ingmar. “The Act-Omission Doctrine and Negative Rights”. The Journal of Value Inquiry 41, No. 1, (2007): 15.
Thomas, Sébastien. “Trade and environment under WTO rules after the Appellate Body report in Brazil-retreated tyres”. Journal of International Commercial Law and Technology 4 Issue 1, (2009): 42-49.
Trachtman, Joel P. “WTO Trade and Environment Jurisprudence: Avoiding Environmental Catastrophe”. Harvard International Law Journal 58, No. 2, (2017): 305-309
Schoenbaum, Thomas J. “Free International Trade and Protection of the Environment: Irreconcilable Conflict?”. The American Journal of International Law 86, No. 4, (October 1992): 722-723
Shaffer, Gregory. “United States-Import Prohibition of Certain Shrimp and Shrimp Products?”. The American Journal of International Law 93, No. 2 (1999): 507.
Shafiee, Yanti Ahmad and Asmah Laili Yeon. “Trade-Related Environmental Measures under the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Malaysia: The Analysis of its’ Application”. Journal of International Studies 12, (2016): 97.
Shih, Wen-chen. “Trade and Environment Linkages and Challenges Facing East Asian WTO Members”. Asian Journal of WTO & International Health Law and Policy 1, No. 1, (2006): 164.
Steinberger, Eca. “The WTO Treaty as a Mixed Agreement: Problems with the EC’s and the EC Member States’ Membership of the WTO”. The European Journal of International Law 17, No.4, (2006): 851.
Taekema, Sanne. “Theoretical and normative frameworks for legal research: putting theory into practice”, Law and Method Journal, Issue 2, (2018): 1-2.
Tanveer, Arifa et,al. “World Trade Organization (WTO) trade policy reviews and green technology adoption: Global evidence”. International Review of Financial Analysis 96. Part B (2024): 12
Van Damme, Isabelle. “Treaty Interpretation by the WTO Appellate Body”. The European Journal of International Law 21, No. 3, (2010): 607-608.
Vieira, Andréia Costa. “The WTO and the Paris Agreement: A Dialogue on Climate Change Mitigation”. Beijing Law Review 11 No.2, (June 2020): 411-412.
Voon, Tania “Sizing Up the WTO: Trade-Environment Conflict and the Kyoto Protocol”. Journal of Transnational Law & Policy 10, No. 1, (2000): 76.
Weiss, Wolfgang “Security and predictability under WTO law”. World Trade Review 2, Issue 2, (2003): 183.
WTO. “The Doha mandate on multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs)”. Available on https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/envir_e/envir_neg_mea_e.htm.
United States Environmental Protection Agency, “Federal Gasoline Regulation”. 19 September 2024. Available on https://www.epa.gov/gasoline-standards/federal-gasoline-regulations.
WTO, “DS639: European Union and its Member States — Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism”. Available on https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/ds639_e.htm. Accessed on 24 September 2025.
WTO Analytical Index, “Relationship of the SPS Agreement with other WTO agreement”. Available on https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/ai17_e/sps_general_jur.pdf. Accessed on 24 September 2025.
Report of the Appellate Body, United States – Sunset Review of Anti-Dumping Duties on Corrosion-Resistant Carbon Steel Flat Products from Japan, WT/DS244/AB/R, 15 December 2003. Para 20, p. 29.
Report of the Panel, United States – Restriction on Imports of Tuna, DS21/R - 39S/155, 3 September 1991. Para 5.27, p. 36.
Report of the Panel, United States – Restriction on Imports of Tuna, DS29/R, 16 June 1994. Para 5.12, p. 50.
Report of the Panel, United States – Restriction on Imports of Tuna, DS29/R, 16 June 1994. Para 5.29, p. 54-55.
Report of the Panel, United States – Taxes on Automobiles, DS31/R, 11 October 1994. Para 3.320, p. 88.
Report of the Panel, United States - Standards for Reformulated and Conventional Gasoline, WT/DS2/R, 29 January 1996. Para 6.21, p. 38-39.
Report of the Appellate Body, United States – Import Prohibition of Certain Shrimp and Shrimp Products, WT/DS58/AB/R, 12 October 1998. Para 128, 134, p. 47, 51.
Report of the Panel, China – Measures Related to the Exportation of Rare Earth, Tungsen, and Molybdenum, WT/DS431/R, WT/DS432/R, WT/DS433/R, 26 March 2014. Para 7.293, p. 101.
Downloads
Total Abstract Views: 59 |
Total Downloads: 59
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Copyright
Copyright (c) 2025 by the Auhtor(s) Published by Development Centre Research of Law and Scientific Publication on behalf of the Faculty of Law, Universitas Lampung
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
