ABSTRACT
This chapter applies legal semiotics and critical realism lenses to high expectations and actual outcomes of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) 24 Conferences of Parties (COPs), held from 1995 to 2018, and the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) 11 Ministerial Conferences (MCs) (1996 to 2017). In both the marathon negotiations, there have been sharp differences between the global north and the global south in spite of the realization that multilateralism should be promoted. UNFCCC’s COPs, held until 2018, are yet to come out with a sturdy plan of action to effectively combat the green-house-gas (GHG) emissions. Likewise, WTO’s MCs, held until 2017, are yet to address the principal concerns of the vast majority of the world population living in developing and least developed countries over fair trade, non-agriculture market access, whopping agricultural subsidies provided to prosperous farmers in the US and Europe, and the Doha “Development” Agenda.
Both the negotiating conferences appear to be high on rhetoric and low on performance. Law and justice seem to have become estranged cousins. Here international environmental and climate justice in the first case, and international trade law and economic justice in the second case, do not seem to see eye to eye.
