The Environmental Review of the FTAA: Examining the U.S. Approach

Publication Date: August 2003

Publisher: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Author(s): Kevin P. Gallagher

Research Area: Environment; Trade

Type: Brief

Abstract:

The Trade Act of 2002 explicitly gives Congress the power to determine whether environmental issues are effectively incorporated into U.S. trade negotiations through a process called Environmental Reviews--written assessments that examine the potential environmental benefits and costs of agreements under consideration. Earlier U.S. attempts at conducting these reviews have fallen short of providing timely and useful information to policy makers.

This policy brief argues that Congress needs to examine the methods and process of environmental reviews under the Trade Act of 2002 to ensure they are used to inform trade negotiations in a timely manner.