There is extensive interplay between the “Environment, Health, and Trade” when it comes to states who participate in the World Trade Organization. The author cites many cases where the interplay exists, underlining the complex web that exists between these considerations. Yet, there is often one of these three that is inappropriately weighted against the others, and that is trade. Much like the considerations made in previous parts of the article, there is an emerging consideration for sustainability in the cases decided by the WTO. This section of the article stops short of asking for equal consideration for health impacts from sustainable practices, but does encourage the reader to explore that possibility. Often, there is extensive health risk associate with unsustainable practices. As an example, individuals who live nearby an energy production facility that uses coal as a fuel source can be susceptible to a number of illnesses that those who live near a more sustainable energy production facility, e.g. solar farms would not have to be concerned by. Diets that can readily access a variety of foods that provide a full range of nutrients can often require extensive trading practices that cross international borders. A further consideration for health as a trade concern could ensure that methods by which one nation obtains a nutritious food source from the other could be deemed as important as a free trade concern that is generally adopted as a standard consideration.While these ideas are not novel, the recognition that there is this interplay between Environment, Health, and Trade can help to frame the emergence of new considerations at the WTO-level when it comes to trade-disputes.

PDFPDF