Trade & Environment (T&E) Division

1. With liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation of the Indian Economy, environment and forest sectors are also witnessing signs of change. Further with the looming dangers of global warming and climate change, environment has emerged as a matter of great concern at both the national as well as international level. Environment sector has also started figuring increasingly as area of interests/concern in the multilateral/bilateral and Regional Free Trade Agreements. India being a founder member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is governed by its basic governing principles and has been actively participating in various rounds of trade negotiations. The Doha Round of Trade Negotiations, launched in November, 2001 has introduced negotiations in the environmental goods & services under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for the first time. As a result environmental goods and services have emerged as areas of significance to India. Under the ongoing negotiations, the Para 31(iii) of the Doha Ministerial Declaration (DMD) enjoins upon the WTO members to reduce or as appropriate eliminate tariffs and non tariff barriers on environmental goods and services. Ministerial Consultative Group (IMCG) on Trade and Environment, To achieve this mandate in office unit effective manner, an Inter-Ministerial consultative Group (MCG) on trade and Environment has been set up by the Ministry. The IMCG is Co-chaired by Secretary, E&F and Secretary, Commerce with representatives from all concerned Ministries as it members. The IMCG has also set up thematic Expert Groups on major issues involved at the interface of Trade & Environment. The IMCG meets regularly to deliberate on issues having a bearing on trade and environment, acting as a consultative mechanism to develop common positions for multilateral negotiations on such.
2. The Trade & Environment Cell of the Ministry undertakes following items of work:

   a) Provide technical inputs to the preparatory process in the area of trade & environment, in particular, items under negotiations in the WTO and other multilateral, bilateral and regional fora.

   b) Act as the nodal section within the Ministry to deal with references received from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry; and

   c) Implementation of the ongoing consultancy project on Trade & Environment.

3. Major Activities undertaken by T&E during the year 2008-09 :
   

   During the year 2008-09, the Trade & Environment Cell examined and submitted position of the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) on the offers put on table under the aegis of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), both in the areas of Environmental Goods and Services. The 10th meeting of the Inter Ministerial Consultative Group on Trade and Environment was held during the month of October, 2008. As per the decision taken during the 10th meeting of the IMCG, a small Group has been mandated to examine the issue of transfer of technology and linkages between the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and climate change regimes. Another group to examining the environmental impacts of reduction elimination of tariffs on such proposed technologies. Under the ongoing project on Trade & Environment, a website dedicated to the Trade and Environment has been successfully launched by the Madras School of Economics. Background papers on the Trade in Environmental Goods, Environmental Services and on. Regional Trade Agreements in Environmental Goods and in Services have been developed under the project.

4. Material from Trade & Environment Cell for the Annual Report of the Ministry of Environment & Forests for the year 2008-09.[pdf] & [doc]

Shri J. Sriraman
(Under Secretary)
Trade & Environment Division
Ministry of Environment & Forests
Paryavaran Bhawan
CGO Complex, Lodi Road
New Delhi - 110 003.

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