Trade in services related to the environment : - Key to poverty eradication and sustainable development?

Abstract: The main goal of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to eradicate poverty. The purpose of this essay is to analyse if trade in environmental services can contribute in the pursuit of this goal. In order to achieve this, a traditional legal analysis has been conducted. An examine of legal material, such as literature and regulations within the World Trade Organization (WTO), indicates that sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth is fundamental for prosperity. International trade in environmental services can be an important enabler in this issue, since such trade offers potential benefits in terms of technology development, management expertise and employment opportunities. Regarding the assessment and regulation in the area of trade in services, the WTO plays a key role, mainly due to the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), which contains the only set of multilateral rules managing such trade internationally. This essay suggests that integrating developing countries into the trading system is essential in this context, as it creates opportunities for sustainable economic growth, for instance by increasing access to new markets for environmental services provided by these countries. International trade in environmental services is thus an engine for economic growth and poverty eradication, and contributes to the achievement of the sustainable development goals.