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The World Trade Organization is often faced with the challenge of reconciling its central objective of promoting free trade with the imperatives of avoiding adverse effects on the environment and public health. The organization has increasingly had to address this concern through its dispute settlement system and has refined several aspects of the debate through the Reformulated Gasoline, Shrimp-Turtle, Asbestos and Beef-Hormones cases. The EC Biotech case is the latest such dispute that has brought into focus the role of the World Trade Organization in protecting the environment and public health. This high-profile case has brought attention to several procedural issues pertaining to the dispute settlement system, such as the role of advisory experts and of amicus curiae briefs as well as the extended time taken in resolving these special cases, which are marked with a high level of complexity and political sensitivity. Although the panel report has retained a narrow frame of reference, the case has also drawn attention to significant substantive issues such as the definition of 'undue delay', the role of science and precaution and the inter-relationship between trade law and public international law. There remain, however, several questions on which the panel commented either inconclusively or not at all. In the event that the panel ruling is appealed, perhaps the Appellate Body will elaborate more fully on some of these crucial concerns that need to be addressed in order to identify a template for interaction between the objectives of free trade and the protection of environment and public health.

The Right to Development (RTD) is a new and highly contested right. Its emergence is linked to the demand for a `new international economic order' by developing countries. Composite in nature and integrating civil and political rights with economic, social and cultural rights, the RTD approach underscores participation, a fair sharing of benefits, transparency and non-discrimination. The present volume explores the theoretical and practical aspects of RTD as an alternative to existing approaches to development. It brings together the reflections and insights of some of the finest scholars on t

This open access book focuses on the issue of sustainability standards from the perspective of both global governance frameworks and emerging economies. It stems from the recognition that the accelerated pace of economic globalization has generated production and consumption patterns that are generating sustainability concerns. Sustainability standards (and regulations) are increasingly being used in a bid to make global consumption and production more sustainable. Given the dense inter-connectedness of economic affairs globally, the use of sustainability standards has become a concern of global governance, who face the challenge of achieving a balance between the use of standards for genuine sustainability objectives, and not allowing them to turn into instruments of protectionism or coercion. The emerging economies, given their increasing engagement with the global economy, are most impacted by the use of sustainability standards. The emphasis of 'emerging economies' in this book is retained both by using case studies from these economies and by collating perceptions and assessments of those located in these economies. The case studies included span sectors such as palm oil, forestry, food quality, vehicular emissions and water standards, and address the problems unique to the emerging economies, including capacity building for compliance with standards, adapting international standards in domestic contexts and addressing the exclusion of small and medium enterprises etc. Complex interfaces and dynamics of a global nature are not limited to the thematic of this book but also extend to the process through which it was written. This book brings together insights from developed as well as emerging economies (Germany, India, Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, Pakistan, Mexico and China). It also brings together scholars and practitioners to jointly ponder upon the conceptual aspects of the global frameworks for sustainability standards. This book is a very useful resource for researchers and practitioners alike, and provides valuable insights for policy makers as well. .

Chapter 1. Introduction -- Part I – Global Governance Frameworks for Sustainability Standards -- Chapter 2. Transformative impacts? Exploring the link between voluntary sustainability standards and the Sustainable Development Goals -- Chapter 3. Assessing the role of the World Trade Organization in regulating the use of standards in international trade -- Chapter 4. Towards greening trade? Environmental provisions in emerging markets' preferential trade agreements -- Chapter 5. The CSR interface between the private sector and social and environmental standards and regulations -- Chapter 6. Advances in sustainability reporting: What is missing? -- Chapter 7. The impact of global labour standards on export performance -- Part II – Sustainability Standards in Sectoral and Country Contexts -- Chapter 8. The changing landscape of sustainability standards in Indonesia: Potentials and pitfalls of making global value chains more sustainable -- Chapter 9. The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and its contribution to sustainable forest management in Indonesia -- Chapter 10. Emerging international environmental standards and trade: Sectoral implications for Pakistan -- Chapter 11. Global and national food safety and quality standards: Implications and impacts for farmers in Thailand and India -- Chapter 12. Making local work for the global best: A comparative study on vehicle efficiency standards implementation in China and Mexico -- Chapter 13. Standard-setting in water use and sustainable development: A comparative critical analysis of grey water recycling in the tourism sector -- Chapter 14. Conclusions and policy recommendations.

AbstractVoluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) are transnational governance instruments that can be leveraged to pursue sustainable development in global value chains. They have proliferated since the 1990s in terms of their number and the share of global production they govern. This paper shares some key insights arising from the considerable body of literature that has analysed the role of these instruments for sustainable production and trade. First, it introduces VSS, traces the evolution of their adoption and takes stock of the research on their sustainability impacts. Next, some major developments in the VSS realm are discussed, related to public policy and the emergence of national sustainability standards. The paper then zooms in on the challenges and limitations of VSS in transforming value chains towards sustainability, focusing on the shortcomings related to inclusiveness and the problems arising from their proliferation. The paper concludes by distilling recommendations on overcoming these challenges, especially in light of recent policy developments, and outlines what different stakeholders can do to make VSS more effective and inclusive instruments for sustainable value chains.