What could be less controversial than liberalising trade in environmental goods and services? Or, to put it another way, why should any country want to maintain barriers that inhibit such trade?

This collection of studies is intended as a practical tool to help negotiators navigate the numerous, complex issues that have arisen in international discussions over liberalising trade in environmental goods and services. In addition to explaining the background to the two earlier lists of environmental goods, the different chapters:

Explore various practical issues related to the classification of environmental goods, including "dual use" goods;
Provide concrete examples of synergies between trade in environmental services and environmental goods;
Synthesise the findings of various country studies on environmental goods and services undertaken by the OECD and other inter-governmental organisations.

This study presents a synthesis of 17 country studies on environmental goods and services (EG&S)
commissioned by the OECD, UNCTAD and the UNDP. The countries examined are Brazil, Chile, China,
Cuba, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Kenya, Korea, Mexico,
Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Thailand and Vietnam. Its aim is to identify determinants of demand for
EG&S; to show common themes and experiences in the EG&S markets of different countries; and to draw
attention to key trade, environment and development policy linkages.

Sub-Regional Brainstorming Workshop on the Trade and Environment Issues Contained in Paragraphs 31 and 32 of the WTO Doha Ministerial Declaration: Interim Report. UNCTAD/FIELD Project. 2003

Short snapshot on Russian environmental industry

This paper seeks CTI’s endorsement on a work programme framework for environmental goods and services (EGS) in APEC.
Under the Committee for Trade and Investment (CTI), many projects have been endorsed and implemented to advance APEC’s interest in EGS. These include the 2007 and 2008 EGS Workshops and the 2008 trade in Environmental Services project. Other than CTI, there is also significant progress in the Energy Working Group (EWG) to promote energy efficient goods and energy standards. The latest call for work in EGS comes from the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) Ministerial Statement in Arequipa, Peru, where the ministers instructed “officials to elaborate a work program to advance APEC work on environmental goods and services.”