Beyond the Barricades : The Americas Trade and Sustainable Development Agenda

This book brings together a diversity of perspectives on environment and development issues from governments, society and businesses in the Western Hemisphere; reviews specific areas where trade, environment and social policies intersect in the Americas, proposing that more integrated laws could strengthen progress toward sustainable development.

Beyond the barricades surrounding recent economic meetings, a constructive agenda is being developed on trade and sustainability issues in the Americas. This book brings together a diversity of perspectives and expertise on environment and development issues from governments, civil society and businesses in the Western Hemisphere. The book reviews specific areas where trade, environment and social policies intersect in the Americas, proposing that more integrated laws and policies could strengthen hemispheric progress toward sustainable development. It identifies new means of implementing this agenda, including changes to proposed trade agreements such as the FTAA, and ways to strengthen environmental and social cooperation mechanisms in the region, laying out future directions for law and policy in the region. The volume incorporates a variety of perspectives with policy options and research results from across the Americas. Critical yet constructive, it will appeal to students and scholars interested in the Americas integration process, as well as to development professionals and NGOs on the ground.