A presentation
on
World Trade Organization
&
Sustainable Development
Prepared By: Group -01
Presented By:
 152107
 152115
Contents
 Introduction
 Concepts
of WTO and Sustainable Development
 Relation
between WTO and Sustainable
Development
 Sustainable
development as a WTO legal
principle
 Actions
of WTO regarding Sustainable
Development
 Conclusion
Introduction

At both a global and national level, trade is an increasingly
important element in sustainable development.

The goals of trade liberalization and sustainable development
are mutually supportive.

The focus of sustainable development is far broader than just
the environment. It's also about ensuring a strong, healthy and
just society.
Introduction

This means meeting the diverse needs, promoting
personal wellbeing, social cohesion and inclusion, and
creating equal opportunity.

Trade liberalization leads to greater prosperity, which
creates the resources for better environmental
management and social policies. So, it can be told that
WTO has a great connection with sustainable
development
Concept of WTO and Sustainable
Development

WTO :-
It is an organization for trade opening. It is a forum for governments
to negotiate trade agreements. It is a place for them to settle trade
disputes. It operates a system of trade rules.

Sustainable development:
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of
the present, without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs.
Relation between WTO and Sustainable Development

WTO and sustainable development are closely linked.

In the words of the WTO Secretariat, “the WTO’s founding
agreement recognizes sustainable development as a central principle,
and it is an objective running through all subjects of Doha
negotiations”.

The WTO interpretation has emphasized that the goals of trade
liberalization and sustainable development are equally reassuring.

Trade liberalization leads to greater prosperity creating the resources
for the betterment of environmental management and social policies.
Sustainable development as a WTO legal
principle

The term sustainable development has been included in
the Marrakesh Agreement which founded the WTO, as
well as Appellate Body decisions, the Doha Development
Agenda, and the terms of reference for the Committee on
Trade and Environment.

One of objectives is “to identify the relationship between
trade measures and environmental measures, in order to
promote sustainable development”
Sustainable development as a WTO
legal principle

The 2001 Doha Ministerial Declaration furthered the
notion that trade liberalization should contribute to
sustainable development. As well as mandating sectorby-sector analysis of sustainable development by the
Secretariat.

It also contains Paragraph 51, which instructs the
Committee on Trade and Environment (“CTE”) and the
Committee on Trade and Development (“CTD”) .
Actions of WTO regarding Sustainable
Development .

The SDGs put significant emphasis on the role that trade
can play in promoting sustainable development. There
are direct references to WTO activities in many of the
SDGs, including:

SDG 2 on hunger, food security, nutrition and sustainable
agriculture

SDG 3 on healthy lives and wellbeing

SDG 8 on economic growth, employment and work

SDG 10 on inequalities within and among countries
Actions of WTO regarding Sustainable
Development .

SDG 14 on oceans, seas, and marine resources.

SDG 17 on strengthening the global partnership for
sustainable development contains a separate section on
trade, including a commitment to promoting a
“universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and
equitable multilateral trading system” under the WTO.
Actions of WTO regarding Sustainable
Development

Trade to promote growth and reduce poverty

Trade as part of a long-term strategy against hunger

A linkage between trade and the environment

Using WTO flexibilities to protect public health

Using trade to help disseminate energy technologies

Strengthening global trade cooperation for sustainable
development
Trade to promote growth and reduce poverty
Increase Aid for Trade support for developing countries, in
particular the least-developed countries (LDCs) (SDG 8)
Implement the principle of special and differential treatment
for developing countries, in particular LDCs (SDG 10)
Significantly increase the exports of developing countries, in
particular with a view to doubling the LDC share of global
exports by 2020 (SDG 17)
A linkage between trade and the environment

Amid growing concerns about the grave problems of
overcapacity and overfishing in today's modern fisheries
fleets.

And the role that subsidies could play in exacerbating
these problems, SDG 14 calls for a prohibition by 2020
on “certain forms of fisheries subsidies that contribute to
overcapacity and overfishing, and to eliminate subsidies
that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated
fishing”.
Using trade to help disseminate energy
technologies

SDG 7 does not directly mention trade but it underlines the
importance of “international cooperation to facilitate access to
clean energy research and technology, including renewable
energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel
technology”.

That makes lower the cost of attaining key environmental
protection goals in developing and developed countries alike.
Conclusion

Only an excessively compromise-driven interpretation
of sustainable development would state that it is simply
a by-product of the WTO’s primary mandate of trade
liberalization. A more robust interpretation must
recognize that the goals represented by trade
liberalization, on the one hand, and environment and
social welfare regulation.
Thank you