ABSTRACT
Over the last two decades a widespread environmental concern has developed nationally as well as internationally around the issues related to water and air quality, protection of the soil, waste treatment and disposal, noise control and the management of natural resources. The interest in environmental problems such as greenhouse gas emissions, ozone layer depletion, tropical deforestation, pollution of the ocean and the loss of biodiversity has intensified recently. These concerns for environmental quality have generated many issues regarding the interaction between trade and environment. One such important issue is the link between environmental standards and loss of competitiveness2.
