RECONCILING TRADE AND SUSTAINABILITY: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE WTO'S ROLE IN ESG REGULATION AND TECHNICAL BARRIER
RECONCILING TRADE AND SUSTAINABILITY: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE WTO'S ROLE IN ESG REGULATION AND TECHNICAL BARRIER

Summary/Abstract: This review assesses the Research Handbook on the WTO and Technical Barriers to Trade, edited by Tracey Epps and Michael J. Trebilcock, which examines the relationship between international trade law and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives. The handbook examines the interplay between the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) and national or crossborder regulatory frameworks, particularly as ESG standards become increasingly prevalent globally. Contributions of leading legal scholars address the legitimacy of the WTO in incorporating non-trade concerns, the interpretation of key TBT provisions, the influence of international and private standards, and major case law outcomes. The review highlights strengths of the volume in bridging the gap between legal doctrine and global governance. Despite achieving an admirable degree of conceptual clarity regarding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) compliance in the newly published United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) handbook, the section devoted to firm-level implementation mechanisms is addressed only in passing. Besides, there is a limited development in the analysis of regulatory issues facing states in the Global South. Despite this, the resourcefulness in understanding how trade and sustainability relate to one another makes the handbook an essential guide for all researchers, policymakers, and trade negotiators.

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