Ecosystem Services and Global Trade of Natural Resources

4  International Trade Policies and Ecosystem Services

David Blandford

Introduction

International trade can have a major impact on the location of agriculture and its production methods and, consequently, on agriculture’s environmental impacts. These impacts can be modified by the effect of international trade agreements. This chapter focuses on the agreements that underpin the work of the World Trade Organization (WTO), since this is the principal multilateral body governing international trade policies. Current WTO agreements do not contain any explicit reference to ecosystem services. However, they do refer to the environment and related issues such as the protection of human and animal health. The primary focus of this chapter is on whether ...