1,721,001 research outputs found
Emissions Trading and WTO Law: A Global Analysis
No full textEmissions trading schemes have been introduced throughout the world in order to achieve an environmental end. In the pursuit of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, these schemes will have a direct impact on the global economy. This book examines the details of emissions trading schemes through the lens of the World Trade Organization (WTO) law. Emissions trading schemes both implemented and proposed will be deconstructed to understand whether they will have a single uniform legal status within the WTO law, or indeed whether the legal status of the units of trade will differ on a case-by-case basis. This book examines non-discrimination provisions and exceptions within four significant WTO ‘covered agreements’. This analysis will be undertaken with a goal to understand how emissions trading scheme measures may be labelled and treated by WTO dispute settlement bodies. Moreover, the narrative of this publication demonstrates where decisions must be made by WTO Members in relation to the legal treatment of emissions trading units and liabilities. \ud
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The aim of the book is to consider the issues associated with emissions trading that arise within the existing WTO law. This monograph will consider emissions trading schemes through the lens of WTO law to establish how these schemes will be defined, where they may potentially breach the non-discrimination provisions of the law and, whether the WTO law should be amended through Member agreement in order to accommodate these schemes. The book is an adaptation of a PhD thesis, which is an analysis of one emissions trading framework – the Australian Clean Energy Package – using WTO law as the theoretical framework. The aim of the proposed monograph is to increase the scope of analysis from the Clean Energy Package to emissions trading schemes more generally. It is envisaged that to do this effectively, examples of frameworks that have been proposed and implemented by various WTO members must be used as case studies for both WTO compliance and non-compliance
Emissions trading and Earth jurisprudence: Will liabilities protect the atmospheric commons?
No full textUsing guiding principles to construct effective multiple choice exams to assess legal reasoning
No full textThe purpose of this paper is to apply established principles for designing effective multiple choice questions to the development of multiple choice exams that can assess high level legal reasoning skills. The authors advocate for an extension of the use of multiple choice exams and suggest that established principles for designing effective \ud
multiple choice questions are transferrable to the law discipline. Rule based reasoning in traditional law exams requires that students have knowledge of a legal rule, apply it to a given set of facts (which may include reasoning by analogy), consider any exceptions to the rule and draw conclusions on the basis of their analysis. Drawing on pedagogical principles of assessment design and the requirements of the skills associated with teaching and learning legal reasoning, it is proposed that this process can be replicated in multiple choice exams in a meaningful manner. The authors have collaborated in creating a multiple choice exam to assess legal reasoning, and in analysing the process and methods undertaken to successfully develop this exam. This paper is a discussion of those processes and the justification for the inclusion of this type of assessment item in the law discipline
The UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-border Insolvency and its Potential Role in Upholding the Rule of Law
No full textThe rule of law is understood to be a core aspect in achieving a stable economy and an ordered society. Without the elements that are inherent in this principle the possibilities of anarchy, unfairness and uncertainty are amplified, which in turn can result in an economy with dramatic fluctuations. In this regard, commentators do not always agree that the rule of law is strictly adhered to in the international legal context. Therefore, this paper will explore one aspect of international regulation and consider whether the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-border Insolvency (1997) (‘Model Law’) and its associated Guide to Enactment and Interpretation (2013) contribute to the promotion of the key elements of the rule of law
Proposed MBMs for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping and the WTO rules
No full textThe international shipping sector is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has adopted some technical and operational measures to reduce GHG emissions from international shipping. However, these measures may not be enough to reduce the amount of GHG emissions from international shipping to an acceptable level. Therefore, the IMO Member States are currently considering a number of proposals for the introduction of market-based measures (MBMs). During the negotiation process, some leading developing countries raised questions about the probable confl ict of the proposed MBMs with the rules of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This article comprehensively examines this issue and argues that none of the MBM proposals currently under consideration by the IMO has any confl ict with the WTO rules
The Australian clean energy package and the law of the world trade organisation : an analysis of compliance issues
No full textThis thesis is a study of whether the Australian Clean Energy Package complies with the rules of the World Trade Organization. It examines the legal framework for the Australian carbon pricing mechanism and related arrangements, using World Trade Organization law as the framework for analysis. In doing so, this thesis deconstructs the Clean Energy Package by considering the legal properties of eligible emissions units, the assistance measures introduced by the Package and the liabilities created by the carbon pricing mechanism.\u
The WTO, the national security exception and climate change
No full textArticle XX has been a valuable instrument to justify exceptions from the anti-discrimination\ud
provisions of the GATT 1994. In general, this Article is considered by experts to\ud
be the most likely defence for any climate change mitigation measure in breach GATT\ud
1994 obligations. That assumption is not in dispute here; rather, this article considers\ud
the requirements of the Article XX exceptions, but also explores the conditions of the\ud
National Security exception contained in Article XXI. Although it is possible that this\ud
exception could be used for climate change mitigation measures, this paper argues that\ud
it is unlikely that the National Security exception could be legitimately applied in these\ud
circumstances without member agreement to the contrary.\u
The border adjustments of the Australian clean energy package
No full textClimate change is a global challenge. For this reason, it has been suggested that a global solution is necessary. In Australia the Clean Energy Package has been introduced with a purpose of reducing Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions inventory, and responding to international obligations. This Package contains the institutional framework for an emissions trading scheme. The Package also includes amendments for other existing legal arrangements. These arrangements include a greenhouse gas emissions price on certain imported products. With this in mind the purpose of this paper is twofold. First, to consider the border adjustments and import charges of the Clean Energy Package and determine whether these comply with the rules of the World Trade Organization. Second, to analyse whether a border tax adjustment could be included in the Package for emissions intensive trade exposed (EITE) products. This paper concludes that, although the existing arrangements appear to comply with the WTO legal requirements, a border adjustment on EITE products could not be implemented in a manner that would comply with these rules
The Context-integrity of the global carbon regime: The relevance and impact of the World Trade Organization
No full textIn the study of the integrity of the global carbon regime there are a number of institutions that must be considered for their impacts on this system. In particular, the subject matter of this chapter is concerned with the main international institution for trade, the World Trade Organization (the WTO). Otherwise stated, this chapter is concerned with how the institutional integrity of the global carbon regime aligns with the values and policy objectives of the WTO. This is done with a view to consider whether the global carbon regime aligns with these values and objectives in a way demonstrative of context-integrity. This alignment is not a single-sided undertaking and, therefore, it is essential that the underlying values of the WTO themselves align with the global carbon regime. I suggest this is particularly crucial given the importance of the objectives of the climate change regime, and the scientific predictions of the current climate projections
Emissions trading and the GATS financial services provisions : a case study of the Australian carbon pricing mechanism
No full textPurpose\ud
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The purpose of this paper is to determine whether greenhouse gas (GHG) tradeable instruments will be classified as financial products within the scope of the World Trade Organization (WTO) law and to explore the implications of this finding.\ud
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Design/methodology/approach\ud
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This purpose is achieved through examination of the units of the Australian Carbon Pricing Mechanism (CPM), namely eligible emissions units. These units are analysed through the lens of the definition of financial products provided in the General Agreement for Trade in Services (the GATS).\ud
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Findings\ud
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This paper finds that eligible emissions units will be classified as financial instruments, and therefore the provisions that govern their trade will be regulated by the GATS. Considering this, this paper explores the limitations that are introduced by the Australian legislation on the trade of eligible emissions units.\ud
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Research limitations/implications\ud
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This paper is limited in its analysis to the Australian CPM. In order to draw conclusions on the issues raised by this analysis it is necessary to consider the WTO requirements against an operating emissions trading scheme. The Australian CPM presents a contemporary model of an appropriate scheme.\ud
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Originality/value\ud
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The findings in this paper are crucial in a GHG constrained society. This is because emissions trading schemes are becoming popular measures for pricing GHG emissions, and for this reason the units that are traded and surrendered for emissions liabilities must be classified appropriately on a global scale. Failing to do this could result in differential treatment that may be contrary to the intentions of important global agreements, such as the WTO covered agreements
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