Environment protection and developmental politics

The lecture gives special attention to the topic 'GATT and environment'. The main objective of GATT, the protection of free world trade through regularisation and the provision of procedures for settling disputes, does not represent a suitable basis for actually enforcing uniform environmental standards, not even if these have been laid down in bilateral or multilateral agreements. The best way of realizing the necessary global harmonisation of standards of environment protection is to make bilateral and multilateral agreements to this end. When making such agreements it should be possible to treat and come to terms about their GATT conformity and the admissibility of trade restrictions for their enforcement. (orig./HSCH)