Study On The Legality Of Trade-related Climate Change Measures Under The WTO

Since the 1980 s,climate change has become the most hot topic in international community.Many countries begin to pay attention to the damage caused by the problem of climate change.And trade-related climate measures are being used more and more frequently under this situation.These measures include climate subsidy addressing climate change,border tax adjustments and carbon emission trading. Although trade-related climate measures has played a certain role to inhibit climate change,these measures to some extent,restricts the development of trade liberalization in the framework of the WTO.The conflict of environment protection and international trade liberalization has become the bone of contention of climate change rules and the WTO rules.Developed countries are worried about competitiveness losing and "carbon leakage" because of the economic gap between developed and developing countries. The first part starts with the interaction between climate change and trade liberalization, and points out that the world is facing great challenges brought by environmental problems.At the same time,multilateral cooperation to environmental protection are introduced,including the "Kyoto Protocol" the signing of UNFCCC and multilateral trade negotiations.From the second chapter to the fourth chapter,the meaning of three trade-related climate change measures are separately introduced.Their legitimacy are analyzed in detail.WTO has been committed to the promotion of international trade liberalization from its founding day,but trade-related climate measures certainly will affect the trade liberalization to some extent.By the analysis of climate subsidy addressing climate change,border tax adjustments and carbon emission trading,we will have a more thorough understanding of the reason and purpose that why these trade-related climate measures are used in developed countries.And also have a clear cognition about the WTO compliance of trade-related climate measures and the notes when they are used.At the end of the three chapters, the impact of trade-related climate change measures on China and the countermeasures of Chinese government are introduced.This paper focuses on legal and economic aspects of the trade-related climate measures,intending to help China to participate in climate change international negotiations and establish the related domestic measures. Key words: WTO Rules Border Tax Adjustments Subsidy Legality...