Trade and the Environment*

International trade agreements and organizations, such as the World Trade Organization and NAFTA, establish rules for the efficient allocation of resources among nations by eliminating discriminatory trade practices and trade bans. At the same time, domestic and international environmental law increasingly rely on trade restrictions to protect the environment and effectively manage resources. The course addresses whether or not the goals of trade law and environmental law can be reconciled in an increasingly interdependent world by examining specific cases where trade law and domestic environmental law have come into conflict. Specific disputes covered include Shrimp/Turtle, Tuna/Dolphin the European ban on meat products containing growth hormones, and emerging disputes over ecolabeling of products and bans on genetically modified food products.

Grading is based on examination.

*Typically offered every other year

Course Materials: 2007 Supplement to Wold, Gaines, & Block, Trade and the Environment: Law and Policy (2005)