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| Economics, trade and investment policy |
The policy section outlines WWF's position on key issues and includes policy documents, such as briefing papers and responses to government consultations.
Globalisation | Investment | Trade | Economics | Climate Change
Globalisation
Try telling him that trade liberalisation is like riding a bike
WWF and Oxfam 2002
This leaflet, produced by WWF and Oxfam for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, examines what must be achieved at the summit if trade policy is to deliver sustainable development. Governments and leaders are urged to undertake nine commitments which are set out in the leaflet.
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A response to the Government's White Paper - Eliminating World Poverty: Making Globalisation Work for the Poor
WWF-UK, 2001
WWF-UK's response to the UK government's White Paper Eliminating World Poverty: Making Globalisation Work for the Poor, submitted to the International Development Committee.
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Investment
WWF-UK's submission to the Export Credit Guarantee Department public consultation on case impact analysis
WWF-UK 2002
The UK's Export Credit Guarantee Department (ECGD) invited WWF to comment on its environmental policies. Based on research comparing its practices with other financial institutions, WWF felt the ECGD's operations lagged behind some of the more progressive institutions and made a number of recommendations.
Please contact the WWF-UK Global Policy Team for a copy on 01483 426444.
No Investment agreement within the WTO. Re-directing investment to promote sustainable development.
Richard McNally, WWF 2001
WWF considers that negotiations towards an investment regime within the World Trade Organisation (WTO) should not be pursued. Until the international debate over investment rules begins seriously to address the relationship between FDI and the basic needs of conservation and sustainable development, all international investment negotiations will be premature. This position paper sets out why WWF believes the WTO is not the right place for an investment agreement and examines what alternatives should be pursued.
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The eighth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development. A Framework for Regulating International Investment
WWF-UK, 2000
The eighth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-8) provided a forum to consider the issue of investment and for initiating preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. This paper sets out WWF's position.
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WWF presentation to the UNCTAD/League of Arab States Regional Symposium on international investment agreements and their implications for Arab countries
Nick Mabey, WWF, 1999
WWF and other NGOs are sceptical about the bold claims made for foreign investment as a development panacea. Our analysis leads us to believe that much of the current debate on foreign investment is overly simplistic, and fails adequately to address the issues of poverty reduction and the achievement of socially and environmentally sustainable economic development. This paper looks at the implications of an international investment agreement on Arab countries. It is taken from a presentation by WWF at an UNCTAD/League of Arab States Regional Symposium.
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Trade
Trade, Investment and Sustainability: WWF Evidence to the Government Panel on Sustainable Development
WWF-UK 1999
This evidence to the UK Government Panel on Sustainable Development sets out the basic myths and realities surrounding the trade and environment debate, and examines ways in which trade and investment can be harnessed to promote, rather than undermine, sustainable development.
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WWF-UK Submission to the International Development Committee on the Implications of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for Development
WWF-UK 2000
There is growing evidence that trade liberalisation does not bring sustainable and equitable global development; that the richer countries benefit at the expense of the poorest. The failure of the WTO Ministerial talks in Seattle to launch a new trade round has exposed long-standing flaws in the process of global trade negotiations. This paper puts forward the reforms of the WTO which WWF believes are necessary.
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Turning the tide on fishing subsidies. Can the World Trade Organisation play a positive role?
WWF 2002
Harmful subsidies, which support the overcapacity of the world's fishing fleets, are a root cause of overfishing and destructive fishing practices. The World Trade Organisation has an unprecedented opportunity to help improve the environmental and economic health of the world's oceans by disciplining harmful subsidies. But success requires negotiators to make conservation and sustainable development real priorities. This paper examines the role the WTO must play.
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The Failure of the Fifth WTO Ministerial Meeting
Tom Crompton, WWF-UK, November 2003
WWF calls on the UK government to use the collapse of the Cancun trade talks as an opportunity to place sustainable development at the heart of UK trade policy.
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League of Gentlemen: Who Really Runs EU Decision-making
WWF-UK, November 2003
A damning WWF report criticises the secrecy surrounding the shaping of the European Union's trade policy, secrecy that could result in a narrowly focused debate that ignores broader issues, such as the call to put sustainable development at the heart of trade policy.
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Economics
Managing water wisely. Promoting sustainable development through integrated river basin management
WWF 2002
One of the most promising approaches to the sustainable management of freshwater is offered by integrated river basin management (IRBM) - a strategic means of balancing water management across whole river basins in order to achieve economic, social and environmental goals. WWF has developed a series of seven guiding principles for translating IRBM theory into effective field action. These are presented in this leaflet which was taken to the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
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The Distributional Impacts of Ecological Tax Reform
McNally and Mabey WWF-UK, March 1999
WWF advocates the use of taxes as a means of managing environmental resources. One of the major obstacles to the introduction of Ecological Tax Reform is their perceived distributional impacts being viewed principally as regressive. This paper examines the effects of taxes in three environmentally sensitive sectors - residential energy, private road transport and agriculture.
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Submission to the Agricultural Committee Inquiry on Flood and Coastal Defence
Project Appraisal and Sustainability - A Critique of Current Approaches
WWF-UK and The Wildlife Trusts, 1998
This note complements a broader submission on the environmental and institutional aspects of flood and coastal defence by WWF and the Wildlife Trusts, by focusing on the project appraisal process used by MAFF to justify expenditure in this area. The paper finds that given the shortcomings in MAFF's project appraisal process, increased spending is likely to directly conflict with the government's public commitment to sustainable flood and coastal defence. Recommendations, showing ways MAFF must change its project appraisal process, are put forward.
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Climate Change
WWF Climate Economics Briefings. The Costs of Delay: How Early Action Lessens Climate Change Costs
WWF-UK 1997
As the impact of greenhouse gas pollution on the global climate becomes clearly visible, the need for action would seem to be obvious - although some would argue against this. This paper sets out why action to mitigate the effects of these gases should begin as soon as possible to reduce the causes of climate change.
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WWF Climate Economics Briefings. Beyond No Regrets: The Real Economics of Precaution
WWF-UK 1997
Although the fact of human-induced climatic change is undisputed, the rate, scale and distribution of its impacts are uncertain. Analysis in this report shows that the correct response to such uncertainty is to undertake significant early action to mitigate the causes of climate change, rather than concentrating investment in attempting to adapt to potential impacts.
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WWF Climate Economics Briefing. Competitiveness and Kyoto: Lobbying Myth or Economic Reality?
WWF-UK 1997
The split of responsibility in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) between developed and developing countries has caused considerable political concern within Annex I countries because of fears that their industries will lose competitiveness and relocate to non-Annex I countries. WWF argues in this paper that these fears have been greatly exaggerated, and are based on special interest lobbying rather than careful economic research.
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WWF Climate Economics Briefings: The Costs of Delay to Developing Countries
WWF-UK 1997
Early action to prevent climate change will be taken by industrialised countries that have produced the majority of past greenhouse gas emissions. The Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) states that these countries should not be disadvantaged by such actions, but some recent economic studies have suggested otherwise. A more complete analysis, presented in this paper, shows that most non-Annex I countries will benefit from early action both economically and environmentally.
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WWF-UK > Research > Issues > Economics > Policy
