Energy News  
US, EU aim to free up trade in 'green' goods

by Staff Writers
Geneva (AFP) Nov 30, 2007
Solar panels, wind turbines and other "green" goods and services should face fewer tariffs and other trade barriers, the United States and European Union proposed at the World Trade Organisation on Friday.

Washington and Brussels jointly proposed that all 151 members of the WTO cut tariffs on at least 43 types of environmentally-friendly goods and services in order to boost their use worldwide.

"By eliminating tariff and non-tariff barriers to environmental goods and services, particularly clean energy technologies, we can lower their costs and increase global access to and use of these important products," US trade representative Susan Schwab said in a statement.

"By making it cheaper and easier to trade in these goods and services the proposal would help to spread green technologies globally, especially to industrialising developing countries," the EU said in its own statement.

"Other products with a clear environmental benefit, for example goods related to waste water management and potable water treatment, waste management, and air pollution control could be added to this list," the EU said.

The two trading powers also proposed a new WTO agreement to further open trade in green goods and services, on the basis of a complete list of environmental goods submitted by the EU and other WTO members earlier in the year.

The US said that global trade in the goods covered by the proposal amounted to around 613 billion dollars (417 billion euros) in 2006, with exports growing by an average of 15 percent per annum since 2000.

A recent World Bank study claimed that removing tariff and non-tariff barriers on key clean energy technologies could increase trade by between 7-14 percent annually.

"A corresponding increase in use of such technologies and services could contribute importantly to global efforts to address climate change and energy security," the US said.

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


ORNL Super Water Repellent Could Cause Big Wave In Market
Oak Ridge TN (SPX) Nov 30, 2007
A water repellent developed by researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory outperforms nature at its best and could open a floodgate of commercial possibilities. The super-water repellent (superhydrophobic) material, developed by John Simpson, is easy to fabricate and uses inexpensive base materials.







  • Moscow Finds Relief As Gas Prices Rise Only 30 Percent
  • Africa urged to avoid morning-after oil hangover
  • Tokyo wants gas exploration deal with China: official
  • Iraq Looks Inward To Rebuild Oil Industry

  • IAEA inspects Russian fuel for Iran: factory
  • French, Italian energy groups reach deal on nuclear cooperation
  • Seoul offers to use North Korean nuclear fuel rods: report
  • Two years to start Japan's giant nuke plant: expert

  • A Breathable Earth
  • Researchers Find Origin Of Breathable Atmosphere Half A Billion Years Ago
  • Study Reveals Lakes A Major Source Of Prehistoric Methane
  • Giant Atmospheric Waves Over Iowa

  • Reduce forest concessions, says Indonesian president: report
  • More than a billion trees planted in 2007: UN
  • Woods Hole Research Center Debuts New Image Mosaic That Will Strengthen Global Forest Monitoring
  • Indonesia's forests: a precious resource in climate change fight?

  • Scientists to discuss ways to 'climate-proof' crops
  • Noah's Flood Kick-Started European Farming
  • Greenpeace slams 'unsustainable' new tuna quota
  • FAO report urges paying poor farmers to be green

  • US House to take up fuel efficiency standards after deal
  • NIST Measures Performance Of Auto Crash Warning Systems
  • German cars world champs, except in Germany
  • Honda Debuts All-New FCX Clarity Advanced Fuel Cell Vehicle

  • Announcement Of Opportunity For Sounding Rocket And Balloon Flights
  • China to order up to 150 Airbus jets during Sarkozy visit: report
  • Time Magazine Recognizes The X-48B
  • Virgin to offer carbon offsets alongside drinks and perfume

  • Nuclear Power In Space - Part 2
  • Outside View: Nuclear future in space
  • Nuclear Power In Space
  • Could NASA Get To Pluto Faster? Space Expert Says Yes - By Thinking Nuclear

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2007 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement