Advancing Trade and Investment Rules for the World’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Abstract

This chapter sets out the focus and four principal objectives of the volume. It canvasses how the volume explores the nature of the legal provisions that States are starting to use in trade and investment agreements to reconcile and integrate environmental, social and economic development norms, and makes recommendations for how such measures might be taken into account in the WTO and future regional trade and investment agreements. The chapter sets out the methods and classification system (typology) adopted for the book, as well as the research undertaken, including an analysis of over sixty bilateral and regional economic agreements featuring references to sustainable development, and over 110 environmental assessments, environmental reviews, human rights reviews or sustainability impact assessments. It also introduces selected case studies of experiences under existing treaties, which will offer insights into how sustainable development concerns can be addressed in bilateral and regional economic agreements.