In 2003 – 2004 IISD was involved in two efforts to produce a new research agenda in the area of trade and environment. The first (spanning 2003, funded by IDRC) gathered an expert group to identify gaps, drivers and priorities, and help produce the research agenda itself. The second (mid-2004, funded by MISTRA) gathered Nordic stakeholders to help adapt the agenda for the Nordic research community.

Why a new research agenda? Following eight years of experience dealing with environment in the WTO and in regional trade agreements; a series of landmark cases in the WTO Dispute Settlement Body; and a series of high-profile environmental disputes under NAFTA, understanding of the relationship between trade and environment has evolved considerably. At the same time, new challenges have emerged, many of them poorly understood. The research community tends still to be focussed on yesterday's issues. With environment on the Doha negotiating agenda, some issues have taken on a new importance. The new trade and environment research agenda is forward-looking, reflecting policy priorities likely to be relevant in the coming five to 10 years.

• State of Trade and Environment Research: Building a New Research Agenda
  This is the research agenda produced in the 2003 exercise, with the assistance of the expert group described below. It is based on a survey of over 300 pieces of trade and environment research over the 2001 – 2003 period.

• A Nordic Research Agenda on Environment and Trade
  This paper is based on the original research agenda described above, but was updated and then adapted by a group of Nordic academics, NGOs and government stakeholders. The final result is a plan for Nordic research, but also has wider relevance as a focus for research world-wide.

The original expert group was:

• Konrad von Moltke, IISD, Canada (Secretary)
• Rob Howse, University of Michigan, USA
• Nicola Borregaard, RIDES, Chile
• Steve Charnovitz, Wilmer Cutler & Pickering, USA
• Beatrice Chaytor, FIELD, U.K.
• Thomas Cottier, World Trade Institute, Geneva
• Biswajit Dar, Indian Institute of foreign Trade, India
• Ricardo Meléndez-Ortiz, ICTSD, Switzerland
• Adil Najam, Center for Energy and Environment, USA
• Ford Runge, Center for International Food and Agricultural Policy, USA
• Marianne Schaper, ECLAC, Chile
• Jesdapipat Sitanon, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
• Matthew Stilwell, CIEL, Switzerland
• Simon Tay, Singapore Institute of International Affairs, Singapore
• Laurence Tubiana, Institute of Foreign Affairs and Sustainable Development, France
• Scott Vaughan, CEIP, USA

For more information on the project, please contact Clarita Martinet or Fabienne Turner at cmartinet@iisd.ca