Rethinking the Global Trade Order: Law, Sustainability, and Governance in the Twenty-First Century

In Rethinking the Global Trade Order, Rafael Leal-Arcas provides a timely examination of how international trade can be harnessed to address climate change, energy insecurity and sustainable development. By integrating international trade law and sustainability policy, he provides a coherent and interdisciplinary framework for understanding the role of international trade in the global energy transition.

Challenging the traditional view that trade only has a negative impact on the environment, Leal-Arcas conducts legal analyses of international trade agreements as instruments for climate change mitigation. Evaluating examples from multilateral, regional and bilateral frameworks, he explains how trade can facilitate access to clean energy technologies, promote renewable energy deployment and contribute to long-term economic and social development. The book emphasizes that well-designed global trade governance is essential for meeting climate goals.

Presenting sustained legal and policy analysis, this book is a valuable resource for scholars and students of international trade law and environmental law. Policy analysts and practitioners in international organizations will also benefit from its practical insights into how trade agreements can be designed to support climate objectives.