The United States seeks to ensure that our international trade and environmental policies are mutually supportive. Our international trade agreements and initiatives are valuable tools to raise the bar for environmental protection around the world, and we are using these agreements and initiatives to tackle pressing environmental challenges—such as wildlife trafficking, illegal logging, and marine conservation and protection.

The U.S. Trade Representative works to carry out this values-driven trade policy and enhance U.S. efforts to address environmental challenges through a range of multilateral, regional, and bilateral trade agreements and initiatives, notably:

Negotiating ambitious commitments in the environment chapters of new trade agreements—including ground-breaking commitments to combat wildlife trafficking and illegal logging, protect our oceans, and implement the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora in the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. 

Monitoring environmental commitments in existing trade agreements, including commitments to maintain high levels of environmental protection, effectively enforce environmental laws, and promote public participation in environmental matters. Learn more here.

Working with the State Department and other U.S. government agencies to strengthen environmental cooperation and capacity building activities intended to help U.S. trading partners to meet their commitments under U.S. trade agreements. 

Negotiating an agreement to eliminate tariffs on environmental goods such as wind turbines, water treatment filters, and solar water heaters and improve access to the technologies countries need to protect the environment, while leveling the playing field for American workers and businesses. Learn more here.

Conducting environmental reviews to evaluate the positive and negative environmental impacts of trade agreements under negotiation. You may read the reviews here.

Participating in negotiation and implementation of multilateral environmental agreements, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Learn more here.

Promoting sustainable management of natural resources, including by combating illegal fishing and promoting sustainable fisheries management and marine conservation, combating illegal logging and associated trade, and promoting sustainable forest management through the Forest Annex of the U.S.-Peru FTA, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, the International Tropical Timber Organization, and bilateral mechanisms. Learn more here.

Through TPP, T-TIP and our other trade negotiations and initiatives, we seek to shape globalization, raise environmental protections, and pursue international trade policies that are consistent both with our interests and our values—for a prosperous and sustainable economy, and a healthy environment today and for future generations.