南北贸易与环境外文翻译.docVIP

外文翻译 原文 North-South Trade and the Environment Material Source: The Quarterly Journal of Economics Author: Copeland, Taylor A simple static model of North-South trade is developed to examine linkages between national income, pollution, and international trade. Two countries produce a continuum of goods, each differing in pollution intensity. We show that the higher income country chooses stronger environmental protection, and specializes in relatively clean goods. By isolating the scale, composition, and technique effects of international trade on pollution, we show that free trade increases world pollution; an increase in the rich North production possibilities increases pollution, while similar growth in the poor South lowers pollution; and unilateral transfers from North to South reduce worldwide pollution. I. INTRODUCTION One of the most interesting developments in trade policy in recent years has been the emergence of trade liberalization as an environmental issue.? In addition to facing traditional protectionist pressures, recent initiatives such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Uruguay Round of GATT negotiations have been questioned on the grounds that they might increase pollution. This has led to much debate about the environmental consequences of free trade. Proponents of freer trade argue that environmental quality is a normal good, and hence trade-induced income gains should create political demands for tougher environmental standards. Tougher standards should inturn bring forth cleaner techniques of production. Skeptics, however, point out that if production methods do not change, then pollution must rise as trade increases the scale of economic activity. Moreover, if environmental quality is a normal good, then less developed countries will adopt relatively low environmental standards. As a result, because of asymmetries in the world distribution of income, free trade may affect the composition of national output with many develop