This briefing paper addresses the need to secure a safe political and legal space for the environment and outlines a number of alternative approaches, which would enable governments to move the current negotiations on the relationship between trade rules and MEAs from the WTO to a more suitable forum. Additionally, the emergence of more environmental related trade disputes has re-emphasised the need for an alternative dispute settlement procedure to that of the WTO for solving trade and environment conflicts. Alternatives to the WTO do exist and this paper provides information on the most relevant options. It also elaborates on a few proposals for institutional reforms that would strengthen these alternative institutional options.

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