Agriculture and Environmental Issues in Free Trade Agreements

Including environmental issues in trade agreements is controversial, although these issues are an integral part of the NAFTA and WTO agreements as well as being the subject of numerous multilateral environmental treaties and agreements. Despite its inclusion, many members are opposed to allowing the environment an extensive role in the WTO. Nonetheless, the Doha Ministerial Declaration recognizes the environment in negotiating the next trade liberalization agreement. Agriculture and agricultural trade, which were integrated with international trade disciplines in the Uruguay Round, have environmental implications, and the inclusion of agriculture in the WTO introduces complex issues that also have environmental consequences.