GLOBAL WARMING,SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND W.T.O.

Abstract

GLOBAL WARMING,SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND W.T.O.

Dr.DEBESH BHOWMIK

JEL-F18,Q01,Q17,Q54,Q56

Keywords-Global warming,agricultural production,climate policy,sustainable development

WTO,CO₂ emission,multilateral environment agreement

In this paper,we have showed that global warming is the outcome of increased green house gases like CFC,HCFC,C,CH4,CO2 etc by which diarrheal diseases,air pollution,soil erosion, salinisation, ozone depletion,loss of biodiversity will continue to grow and the global temperature will increase 10ºC in the next 100 years for which sea level will step up 6 metres.A sound international climate policy is absent due to non-ratification of Kyoto Protokol by USA,so that EU,Brazil,China,Mexico,ASEAN planned to reduce green house gas emissions by 30% within 2020.Most of the developed countries followed Stern and IPCC reports and Clean Development Mechanism for sustainability.A number of research studies proved that the impact of global warming on agriculture is negative at 2ºC-3ºC increase in temperature with/without carbon fertilization with severe loss of agricultural production in Africa,South America,Western Asia and India. WTO has no expertise to deal with environmental problem such as heating the upper atmosphere, or has no  objection or targets to reduce green house gas emissions.Members of WTO are ,however,concerned with trade measures applied pursuant to Multilateral Environmental Agreements which can affect WTO members’ rights and obligations.Thus why, Doha summit calls for the reduction or as appropriate , elimination of tariff and non tariff barriers to environmental goods and services in which WTO made a list of 153 environmental goods and EU-USA submitted 43 goods claiming zero tariff on or after 2013.Thus,WTO ,through increased dissemination of cleaner technologies,win win climate policies by improving resource allocation,promoting economic growth and increasing welfare,may lead to grow 7-14% of trade in climate friendly technologies.  

For full article , read -Anil Kumar Trhakur and Dipti Taneja edited ,"Economics of Sustainable Development(2012)(Deep and Deep Publications,NewDelhi),pp356-378