Title: Europe's global responsibility to govern trade and investment sustainably: climate, capital, CAP and Cotonou

Authors: Thomas F. Ruddy

Addresses: EMPA Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, 5 Lerchenfeldstrasse, CH-9012, St.Gallen, Switzerland

Abstract: This paper examines the progress made towards forging a Sustainable Development Strategy of the European Union on the basis of three structures of the global economy: Trade, Investment and Knowledge Generation. It identifies deficits in all three, and cites alternatives for improvement such as acknowledging ecological debt and setting up a Global Marshall Plan. It outlines how, over the medium term, compatibility with trade law could be maintained, and how Sustainability Impact Assessments (SIA) could cushion the effects of the current governance regimes. It then considers alternatives such as encouraging the EU|s African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) partners to form Regional Trade Areas among themselves. Guidance is given regarding reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and the question as to whether the investment regime can be governed multilaterally and, if so, at which venue.

Keywords: sustainable development; globalisation; global governance; common agricultural policy; international trade; European Union; trade; investment; knowledge generation; sustainability impact assessments; regional trade areas.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSD.2005.007377

International Journal of Sustainable Development, 2005 Vol.8 No.1/2, pp.97 - 112

Published online: 14 Jul 2005 *

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