Christopher Dent, Professor of Economics and International Business and SustainNET leader, is currently researching how trade agreements can play a role in tackling climate change.
International trade has become a defining feature of the global economy and accounts for a large share of all economic activity on the planet. Professor Dent is exploring the links between trade and climate action efforts through free trade agreements (FTAs) in particular. There are currently just over 300 such agreements in force worldwide covering around 70 percent of world trade, and each contain their own specific regulations that govern that trade.
In his research Professor Dent has found that 68 of these FTAs contain climate action relevant provisions, these varying significantly in regulatory character and strength. He is conducting an in-depth comparative study of these provisions, and more broadly the extent to which the agreements containing them are helping establish a stronger climate action discourse in the trade diplomacy arena.
Christopher Dent will complete this research by Autumn 2020.