Environmental Aspects of Trade Treaties – DR-CAFTA

The profound changes in the production of goods brought about by international treaties and their impact on the environment was not contemplated in the many international treaties until fairly recently, until the North American Free Trade Agreement, more than ten years ago.  In keeping with the times, the recently approved DR-Central American Free Trade Agreement includes an extensive chapter regarding the environmental consequences and the new requirements the
participating countries will have to comply with during the production process. The enforcement of the Agreement will hopefully bring economic opportunities and technological developments to the Dominican Republic and Central America but along with it further stress to the sometimes delicate environment.

This and more was discussed at the auditorium in FUNGLODE by prominent environmental and trade lawyers led by the Dominican Minister of Environment and National Resources, Max Puig. John Pendergrass, from the Environmental Law Institute; Claudia de Windt, Legal Officer of the Department of Sustainable Development with the Organization for American States; and Salvador Nieto, Legal Specialist with
the Central American Commission for the Environment and Development (CCAD for its Spanish initials) offered an extensive overview of the situation. The session was moderated by FUNGLODE´s Director General, Frederic Emam-Zadé.

This presentation opened the one-day seminar that took place during October 5. The challenges and opportunities of DR-CAFTA and the environment is the second program
within the yearly activities of the DR Chapter of CIEMADeS (International Center for the Study of the Environment,) an initiative of FUNGLODE/GFDD in association with the University of Turabo in Puerto Rico and Quisqueya University in Haiti, to track the developments and propose solutions to the threats affecting the environment in the Caribbean Basin. The first program was dedicated to climate change and the
next one will discuss water quality and management.

CIEMADeS will be celebrating its second annual conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, November 3-5, 2006 around “Interdisciplinary Approaches Toward Sustainable Development.”

DR-CAFTA and the Environment: Challenges and Opportunities – PROGRAM

Download: Program English 22-09-06 (word 84 kb)

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