Tune in to learn about a major, little-known fossil fuel industry strategy for blocking real action on climate change: weaponizing trade agreements to undermine important climate initiatives.
According to the Trade Justice Education Fund, “Outdated trade rules in aging trade agreements, written long before governments were contemplating how to tackle climate change, are increasingly being used to challenge government climate policies.” Some examples:
* Japan and the European Union successfully challenged Ontario, Canada’s renewable energy program
* The U.S. successfully challenged India’s national program to boost local solar production
* India successfully challenged renewable energy programs in eight U.S. states that included “buy-local” rules
* Right now, Indonesia is challenging the European Union’s restrictions on palm oil-based biofuels and Malaysia is challenging the EU, France, and Lithuania, claiming that the “EU renewable energy target” violates WTO rules by discriminating against palm oil- based biofuels
* Trade scholars are questioning the trade legality of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, and Canada and Mexico have already raised the threat of a trade case against the tax credit for electric vehicles proposed by the Biden administration and passed by the House of Representatives.
Join the Trade Justice Education Fund, Sierra Club and Public Citizen for an online briefing and discussion to learn more about how trade rules are impeding climate action and what you can do about it. More information here.
WHEN
Wednesday, November 16, 5 PM
WHERE
Online. Register here.