Global climate change could affect wetlands through increased air temperature; shifts in precipitation; increased frequency of storms, droughts, and floods; increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration; and sea level rise. Connecting the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) and increasing climate change are its ability to prevent governments from policies and legislation to reduce its causes, including logging and air and water pollution. So it’s not surprising that Green parties from New Zealand, Australia and Canada have joined forces to oppose the TPPA.
An international trade treaty, the TPPA is currently under negotiation by eleven Asian and Pacific-rim countries, pre-eminently the United States. Because the negotiations are being conducted in secret, what is known about the TPPA’s 26 chapters’ draft texts comes from previous international trade agreements, investigative work and leaked documents.
Most of the chapters actually have nothing to do with trade, but rather impose limits on domestic food safety, health, environment and other policies. Although its draft texts are off limits to the public, over 600 US corporate “trade advisors” – including job-offshoring corporations, global banks, agribusiness and pharmaceutical giants - have full access.
Consumer, labour, environmental and other public interest advocates want transparency in
the process and are demanding a “Fair Deal or No Deal”. More
