Environmental issues in APEC: the case of the Latin American economies

Beyond working to expand market access, APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Mechanism) countries must cooperate to create conditions which provide incentives for sustainable resource and ecosystem use. The central argument of this paper is that regional economic integration must be complemented by the creation of regional frameworks for environmental management. In this way, trade and environmental policies can mutually reinforce each other. The crucial issue is how deep and broad will be the integration of trade and environmental concerns. This chapter analyses the policies adopted by APEC regarding the trade-environment interface, stressing on the three Latin American members, Mexico, Chile and Peru, and suggests some guiding principles and strategies.