Policy Analysis

Making Trade-led Economic Growth Sustainable: IISD project aims to advise decision-makers in Thailand and Laos

By Sabrina Shaw, Sabrina Shaw on December 15, 2006
IISD's recently launched Rapid Trade and Environment Assessment (RTEA) project in Thailand and Laos has a solid contribution to make to development in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. With generally high rates of growth in the Sub-region and the proliferation of bilateral and regional free trade agreements (FTAs), this project?to refine a tool to inform decision-makers?comes at an important juncture in the development of the sub-region. In developing and assessing trade liberalization scenarios, the RTEA can highlight the potential environmental consequences of trade and investment commitments. What will the host of trade agreements these countries are entering into mean for the environment and sustainable development?