版权说明:本文档由用户提供并上传,收益归属内容提供方,若内容存在侵权,请进行举报或认领
文档简介
1、Appendix:Green Barriers from the Standpoint of Sustainable DevelopmentAbstract: Green barriers are one kind of non-tariff barrier (NTB). This paper points out that green barriers evolved from sustainable development theory and environmental protection, but are compatible with true comparative advant
2、age. The best way to surmount green barriers for Chinese enterprises is to implement circular production processes and clean production techniques.Key Words: Green barriers, sustainable development, ecology environment, circular economy, life-cycle analysis.1. IntroductionSince the opening up and ec
3、onomic reform of China, its foreign trade volume has risen continuously from US$20.6 billion in 1978 to US$1,422 billion in 2005. The sum of exports plus imports as a fraction of GDP is 65.8%, the share of exports is 36.2%, the share of imports is 29.6% in 2006 in China (The National Bureau of Stati
4、stics of China, 2006). Exports mainly concentrate on labor intensive and resource intensive industries: labor intensive products accounting for 40% of total manufacturing exports and resource intensive including rubber and metal products accounting for 20%. This export pattern depletes resources and
5、 causes high emissions and high pollution, a serious environmental problem in China (Gu, 2005). In addition,besides agricultural products, the exportation of mechanical and electrical products is facing increasing technical barriers such as noise, pollution, safety standards, energy saving, and recy
6、cling requirements. Every year,about US$8 billion of export products are affected by foreign green labeling and trademarks and US$24 billion of products are indirectly influenced since packing methods do not satisfy the environmental protection standard of developed countries. Therefore, how to trea
7、t and cope with green barriers is imperative for Chinas foreign trade.2. Green BarriersWhile there are no accurate and clear definitions in international treaties or agreements, agreen barrier is a new term to mean the application of strict technical standards and regulations in international trade
8、(Dong, 2003). Besides a green environmental label, green barriers also include environmental surtaxes, market access requirements, green technology standards, green packaging, green sanitary measures and green subsidiaries (Leng, 2005). Normally, a green barrier is regarded as an environmental barri
9、er implemented by developed countries, who, on the grounds of protection of animal or plant life, establish strict and compulsory measures to restrict certain imported products (Gao, 2004). According to some authors, green barriers are a type of protectionism, unfair to developing countries and rest
10、ricting their economic development (Tang and Tan, 2004).In fact, the evolution and practice of green barriers conforms to sustainable global economic development along the lines of true comparative advantage. Developed countries realized sooner the facts concerning environmental externalities and th
11、eir damage to humans and the environment.Some developed countries set up technological standards on the environment and natural resources, requiring that both the end products and all the production processes (R&D, producing, packing, transporting, consuming and recycling) conform to environment
12、al protection requirements. Hence, green barriers have appeared on the international trade stage.If green barriers are defined as unfair and discriminatory measures relating to trade as some Chinese scholars think, a resisting and rejecting attitude will persist. This will ignore the positive effect
13、s of green barriers on protecting the environment as well as the health of human beings, animals and plants. Unless arbitrary or unjustifiable environmental trade methods hinder international trade, a rational attitude and analysis should be adopted.3. A Rational Analysis of Green BarriersGreen barr
14、iers are the outcome of economic development (Feng, 2004). Mass production and development of technology bring about two results. One is the positive effect on economy, increasing income and living standards; the other is the huge, sometimes irreversible negative influence on natural resources and t
15、he environment. Many examples can be seen worldwide:desert encroachment, deforestation, water shortages, acid rain, biodiversity reduction; in short, air, land and sea pollution in general. While enjoying the increased welfare caused by high economic growth, the world is suffering serious environmen
16、tal deterioration (Na, 2000). Our Common Future(WCED, 1987) put forward the idea of sustainable development in 1987, calling for a common endeavor that human beings should protect the environment and the health of people, animals and plants. The WCED defined sustainable development as development wh
17、ich meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In 1994, the IISD proposed the Winnipeg Principles as a means for reconciling international trade and development so as to achieve sustainable development (IISD, 1994). These principles
18、 constitute a starting point to integrate trade, the environment and development. The central idea in considering internalizing the environment through international cooperation is regulation in international trade. Economic growth arising from trade liberalization is the necessary condition for sus
19、tainable development, but trade liberalization without sufficient environment regulation will induce environmental degradation (Wang, 2005). Therefore, based on sustainable development theory and compatibility with comparative advantage (see theAppendix), green barriers have a positive and rational
20、effect.3.1. An International Environmental Management System Incorporating Rational Green BarriersFirst of all, the WTO/GATT is not against environmental measures related to trade adopted by its member countries. Article XX (b) and (g) allow WTO members to adopt and enforce measures if these are eit
21、her necessary to protect human, animal or plant life or health, or if the measures relate to the conservation of exhaustible natural resources. However, such measures should not represent a disguised restriction on international trade nor be discriminatory in application. This Article has been regar
22、ded as the general principle for dealing with environmental disputes under the WTO. In addition, environmental exceptions can be found in many WTO agreements like the Agreement on Agriculture, the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)
23、and others . These regulations imply that countries have the right to establish protection of human, animal or plant life or the environment, subject to the requirement that the protection does not constitute arbitrary discrimination or unwarranted restriction on trade. Therefore, a green barrier as
24、 an environmental measure related to trade, has been widely accepted, at least in principle, by WTO members.Furthermore, the ISO promulgated ISO 14000 in 1996 in order to maintain global ecological balance and to harmonize environmental protection and economic development. ISO 14000 includes environ
25、mental management standards, environmental auditing, environmental labeling, and environmental impact assessments. It aims at establishing an Environmental Management System , promoting its implementation through environment assessment and auditing to improve the global environment. ISO 14000 has an
26、 active effect on reducing resource depletion and abating pollution emission. The European Union has applied ISO14000, requesting that all imported goods meet its environment standards covering materials, production, marketing, consumption and disposal. If ISO14000 can be adopted universally, it wil
27、l diminish arbitrary trade barriers and promote the development of world trade along the lines of true comparative advantage. An international unified system to regulate the environment issue is necessary in order to achieve global sustainable development.3.2. The Positive Externality of Green Barri
28、ers The positive externality of green barriers is not only embodied in environmental and technological effects, but also in aligning world production according to true comparative advantage. The existence of green barriers requires the internalization of the environment cost into the process of prod
29、uction. The products must be friendly to the environment and should not damage the environment in production, transit or disposal. These requirements make traded goods comply with environmental regulations and standards so as to protect the ecological environment of importing andexporting countries,
30、 as well as to create more resources for environmental investment. Protecting the environment in one country will have a positive impact on its neighbors and the global environment; hence acting as a positive global externality. The emergence of green barriers reflects the demand for the coordinated
31、 development of the environment and the direction of development of human society. The implementation of green barriers also accelerates the strength of environmental and green consumption awareness.Stringent environmental standards and market access requirements in developed countries will spur dev
32、eloping countries to learn advanced technologies and improve production levels while providing for environmental protection. These green barriers will bring about a positive externality of technology spillover if their implementation has an active influence on the greening of world production.3.3. T
33、he Stimulating Effect of Green Barriers The Porter Hypothesis, proposed by Michael Porter of Harvard University, puts forward the debate on the relationship between environmental regulation and competitiveness. According to the Porter Hypothesis, strict environmental regulations can induce efficienc
34、y and encourage innovations that improve competitiveness. This is because strict environmental regulation triggers the discovery and introduction of clean technologies and environmental improvements. In this way, the innovative effect can induce production processes and products to be more efficient
35、 and clean. The social cost savings that can be achieved by innovation are sufficient to cover both the compliance costs directly attributed to new regulations and the innovation costs . As a result, appropriate and stringent environmental regulation will lead to improvements in social welfare as we
36、ll as the private net benefits of firms operating under such regulations .The concept of green barriers integrates principles and theories of environmental science, management, and ecology. Applied to the processes of producing, storage, using, marketing and recycling, rational green barriers are co
37、nducive to structuring a complete and environment-friendly management system. Except for those which violate the non-discriminatory principles of the WTO, green barriers have a stimulating effect on environmental R&D, technology innovation, clean production and green marketing. In the case of fr
38、ivolous barriers, they only protect environmentally unfriendly production in the home country.4. The Circular Economy and Green Barriers Green barriers can restrict some trade activities which negatively affect natural resources, the environment, human health or life. Developed countries have establ
39、ished a green fence to imported goods. For China, the fundamental way to surmount green barriers is to transform traditional production and development modes; that is to say to carry out a circular production process (CP) which is based on the principle of efficient utilization of resources and prot
40、ecting the environment. Since industrialization, economic development has been characterized by high exploitation of resources and high emissions. The traditional producing and economic method, from production, consumption to waste disposal, is the process of from cradle to grave. The circular econo
41、my, on the other hand, is a nearly closed-loop system , provided that residual waste not recycled is disposed of in a green manner. The theme of a circular economy is the exchange of materials where one facilitys waste, including energy, water and materials as well as information is another facility
42、s input . CE promotes reducing and reusing of waste from cradle to cradle. In terms of reconciling economic development and environmental improvement, CP is a green production mode.The basic principle of implementing CE is reducing, reusing and recycling. Reducing refers to reducing the materials en
43、tering production and consumption. Reusing means prolonging the durability of products and services,while recycling can reduce disposal needs. Based on ecological rules, the CP mode reasonably utilizes natural and environmental resources in an industry chain among various enterprises and industries
44、similar to a natural ecology chain. It promotes the optimum use of resources, recycling of material and eliminating environment deterioration.Second, CP production is especially helpful for Chinese enterprises attempting to surmount green barriers. Technology spillover encourages enterprises to impr
45、ove green production and optimize the social exporting pattern. The social benefit of CP will reduce environmental damage. At the same time, it will narrow the gap of environmental technology standards, upgrading the ability to cope with green barriers . Third, CE implementation can rebound to incre
46、asing eco-efficiency, forming sustainable comparative advantage and casting off comparative cost traps. Due to the increasing scarcity of resources and decreasing environment quality, developing countries are not environmentally factor abundant. The export advantages of these countries, including Ch
47、ina, are based on cheap natural resources and lax environmental policies and standards. However, this advantage is unsustainable and will finally lose out with the integration of the environment into the international trade regime. The internalization of environmental cost contributes to reducing th
48、e excessive depletion of resources for export. It will protect Chinese export enterprises from the censure of eco-dumping. The sooner the implementation of CP, the larger areexport benefits to be gained.Sustainable comparative advantage based on environmental costs being internalized can eliminate t
49、he negative environment externality of production and reflect the social value of ecological production.5. ConclusionUnder the current circumstances of globalization, world trade and the economy are tending towards green production and environmental protection.The green barriers faced by Chinas expo
50、rts are a signal to Chinas foreign trade development. It is desirable to realize that environmental standards and green barriers are not intentionally aimed at undermining Chinas exports due to Most-Favored Nation Treatment, but are required for the world environment and for human health and safety.
51、 Therefore, it would be in vain to complain, criticize or resist green barriers. The effective means and ways to overcome barriers and seek true comparative advantage are to introduce the circular economy concept, carrying out clean production. The internalization of environment cost can make Chinas
52、 exports comply with international environmental standards and lead to sustainable, true comparative advantage and growth.附录:从可持续开展的角度看绿色壁垒摘要:绿色壁垒是一种非关税壁垒。本文指出绿色壁垒源于可持续开展理论与环境保护,但与真正的比拟优势是兼容的。中国企业克服绿色壁垒最好的方式是实施循环生产工艺和清洁生产技术。关键词:绿色壁垒;可持续开展;生态环境;循环经济;生命周期分析1引言自从中国实行改革开放和经济改革以来,其对外贸易额已经连续上涨,由1978年206亿美
53、元升至2005年的14220亿美元。2006年中国进口的贸易额加上出口的贸易额占国内生产总值的65.8%,其中,出口的份额占36.2%,进口的份额占29.6%中国国家统计局,2006。我国的出口主要集中在劳动密集型和资源密集型产业:劳动密集型产品占总出口制造业的40%,包括橡胶和金属制品在内的资源密集型产品占20%。这种出口模式消耗资源,并导致高排放、高污染,这在中国是一个严重的环境问题。此外,除了农业产品,机电产品的出口也面临越来越大的技术障碍,如噪音、污染、平安标准、节能和回收要求。由于包装方法不符合兴旺国家的环境保护标准,每年大约80亿美元的出口产品受到国外绿色标签和商标的影响,240亿
54、美元的产品间接受到影响。因此,如何看待和应对绿色壁垒是中国对外贸易的当务之急。2绿色壁垒 虽然在国际条约或协定中没有准确和清晰的定义,“绿色壁垒作为一个新的术语是指严格的技术标准和标准在国际贸易中的应用。除了绿色环境标签,绿色壁垒还包括环境附加税、市场准入要求、绿色技术标准、绿色包装、绿色卫生措施和绿色子公司。 通常,绿色屏障被视为兴旺国家实施的一种环境壁垒,他们为了保护动物或植物的生命而建立严格的强制措施来限制某些进口产品。一些作者认为,绿色壁垒是一种保护主义,它对开展中国家是不公平的,限制了开展中国家的经济开展。 事实上,绿色壁垒的演变和实践符合全球经济的可持续开展与真实的比拟优势。兴旺国
55、家更快地意识到了外部环境和外部环境对人类和环境的损害这一事实。一些兴旺国家在环境和自然资源方面建立了技术标准,要求最终产品和所有生产过程研发,生产,包装,运输,消费和回收符合环境保护要求。因此,绿色壁垒已经出现在国际贸易的舞台。 如果像一些中国学者认为的那样,绿色壁垒被定义为一种与贸易有关的不公平的和歧视性的措施,那么,抵抗和拒绝的态度将会会坚持下去。这将无视绿色壁垒对保护环境以及人类、动物、植物健康的积极影响。除非任意的或不合理的环境贸易方法阻碍国际贸易,否那么应该采用理性的态度和分析方法。3 绿色壁垒的理性分析 绿色壁垒是经济开展的结果。大规模的生产和技术的开展带来两个结果,一个是对经济的
56、积极影响:收入和生活水平的增加;另一个是对自然资源和环境的巨大的、有时不可逆转的负面影响。许多例子可以在世界范围内看到:沙漠化、森林砍伐、水资源短缺、酸雨、生物多样性减少;总之是普遍的空气、土地和海洋污染。在享受经济的高增长而带来的福利增加的同时,世界正遭受严重的环境恶化。“我们共同的未来委员会在1987提出了可持续开展的思想,呼吁共同努力,人类应该保护环境和人、动物、植物的健康。委员会将可持续开展定义为,既满足当代人的需求又不损害子孙后代满足其需要的能力。1994,国际可持续开展机构建议把此原那么作为协调国际贸易和开展的一种手段以到达可持续开展的目的。这些原那么构成了整合贸易、环境和开展的起
57、点。通过国际合作而考虑内部环境的中心思想是对国际贸易的调节。由于贸易自由化而带来的经济增长是可持续开展的必要条件,但没有足够的环境管制的贸易自由化会引起环境退化。因此,基于可持续开展理论和兼容性比拟优势,绿色壁垒会产生积极的、理性的影响。3.1 包含理性绿色壁垒的国际环境管理系统 首先,世贸组织/关贸总协定不反对其成员国采取的与贸易相关的环境措施。如果这些措施对保护人类、动物或植物的生命或健康是必要的,或者如果措施涉及可能用竭的自然资源的保护,那么第二十条允许世贸组织成员采取并执行措施。然而,这些措施不应是对国际贸易的变相限制或歧视性的应用。这一原那么已被视为在世贸组织下处理环境纠纷的一般原那
58、么。此外,环境例外可以在许多世贸组织协议中被发现,例如农业协议、补贴与反补贴措施协定、与贸易有关的知识产权等。这些规定意味着国家有权制定对人类、动物、植物或环境的保护,前提是要求保护不构成任意歧视或不必要的贸易限制。因此,绿色壁垒作为涉及贸易的环境措施,至少在原那么上,已被世贸组织成员广泛接受。此外,为了维护全球生态平衡和协调环境保护与经济开展,国际标准化组织在1996公布了ISO14000。ISO14000包括环境管理标准、环境审计、环境标志、环境影响评估。它的目的是建立环境管理系统,通过环境评估和审计促进其实施以改善全球环境。ISO14000在减少资源消耗、降低污染排放方面有着积极的影响。
59、欧洲联盟已申请ISO14000,要求所有进口商品符合其环境标准,包括材料、生产、销售、消费和处置。如果ISO14000可以被普遍采用,它将减少任意的贸易壁垒并且沿着真实的比拟优势促进世界贸易的开展。为了实现全球可持续开展,国际统一的调节系统对于环境问题是非常必要的。 绿色壁垒的正外部性 绿色壁垒的正外部性不仅表达在环境和技术的影响,也根据真实的比拟优势表达在世界生产之中。绿色壁垒的存在需要环境本钱内在化的生产工艺。产品必须是环境友好型并且在生产、运输或处置中不会损害环境。这些要求交易的货物要符合环保法规和标准以保护进、出口国家生态环境,同时可以为环境投资创造更多的资源。一个国家的环境保护将对其邻国和全球环境有积极影响;因此,能够作为一个积极的全球外部性。绿色壁垒的出现反映出对环境与人类社会开展方向协调开展的需求。绿色壁垒的实施也加速了环境优势和绿色消费意识。兴旺国家严格的环保标准和市场准入
温馨提示
- 1. 本站所有资源如无特殊说明,都需要本地电脑安装OFFICE2007和PDF阅读器。图纸软件为CAD,CAXA,PROE,UG,SolidWorks等.压缩文件请下载最新的WinRAR软件解压。
- 2. 本站的文档不包含任何第三方提供的附件图纸等,如果需要附件,请联系上传者。文件的所有权益归上传用户所有。
- 3. 本站RAR压缩包中若带图纸,网页内容里面会有图纸预览,若没有图纸预览就没有图纸。
- 4. 未经权益所有人同意不得将文件中的内容挪作商业或盈利用途。
- 5. 人人文库网仅提供信息存储空间,仅对用户上传内容的表现方式做保护处理,对用户上传分享的文档内容本身不做任何修改或编辑,并不能对任何下载内容负责。
- 6. 下载文件中如有侵权或不适当内容,请与我们联系,我们立即纠正。
- 7. 本站不保证下载资源的准确性、安全性和完整性, 同时也不承担用户因使用这些下载资源对自己和他人造成任何形式的伤害或损失。
最新文档
- 2026年襄阳科技职业学院单招职业倾向性测试题库含答案详解
- 2026年罗定职业技术学院单招综合素质考试题库带答案详解
- 四川省南充市嘉陵一中2024-2025学年高二上学期第二次月考(11月)政治试题含解析政治答案
- 安徽消防面试题目及答案
- 铁路运行面试题库及答案
- 上海七十迈数字科技2026校园招聘备考题库及答案详解参考
- 2025年南宁市隆安县残联公开招聘乡镇残疾人专职委员备考题库完整参考答案详解
- 2025年三明地区备考题库编内招聘24人备考题库及参考答案详解1套
- 2026年中共潍坊市委外事工作委员会办公室所属事业单位公开招聘工作人员备考题库及一套答案详解
- 2025年杭州市第三人民医院公开招聘编外工作人员5人备考题库完整答案详解
- 冬季关节疾病预防
- 渔业养殖钢架棚施工合同
- 《中药的合理用药》课件
- 手术室安全与事故应对
- 生态框在河道工程中的应用
- 品牌经理招聘笔试题及解答(某大型国企)2025年
- GB/T 44194-2024增材制造金属粉末再利用技术规范
- 安徽辅警考试真题网盘
- DL∕T 5143-2018 变电站和换流站给水排水设计规程
- 墩柱和盖梁施工方案
- 高中英语词汇3500词(必背)
评论
0/150
提交评论