Ruth Bergan, Senior Adviser of the Trade Justice Movement said:
“The deal with Australia highlights the huge disconnect between UK trade policy and its climate ambition. The UK put both issues on the G7 agenda but there was little to make the links between the two. That’s why the UK government urgently needs to rethink - we need to see an overarching trade strategy that shows how our trade deals will work for the climate.
“The UK-Australia trade deal will undermine the government’s own climate targets. Australia has lagged behind other advanced economies when it comes to addressing climate change and there is a real danger that this deal will put downward pressure on environmental standards. We fear this will pave the way for other upcoming low standard trade deals.
“It is also really worrying to see the UK continuing to pursue the inclusion of corporate courts (ISDS) in the deal. Fossil fuel companies are using these courts to challenge important environmental regulations. The government seems to be completely unwilling to hear these concerns and is putting the UK at increased risk of being taken to court. For example, the Australian investor EMR Capital could use this system to challenge the cancellation of the coal mine in Cumbria.
“There is a way for trade deals to work for people and the planet, but we do not see this reflected in the new UK-Australia trade deal.”
For more information please contact Catherine Callens, Senior Communications Adviser on catherine[at]tjm.org.uk
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Photo: "Flags" by Sheep'R'Us is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
