1、 Green Barriers from the Standpoint of Sustainable Development Abstract: 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 advantage. Th
2、e 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. Introduction Since the opening up and econom
3、ic 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 Statistic
4、s 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 cau
5、ses 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 recyclin
6、g 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 treat an
7、d cope with green barriers is imperative for China s foreign trade. 2. Green Barriers While 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 barrie
9、r 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 restr
10、icting 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 environmental p
12、rotection 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 effects o
13、f 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 Barriers Green barri
14、ers 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 th
15、e 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 environment
16、al 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 whi
17、ch 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 sust
19、ainable 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 e
20、ffect. 3.1. An International Environmental Management System Incorporating Rational Green Barriers First 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 ei
21、ther 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 regarded as the general principle for dealing with environmental disputes under
