Non-tariff measures a trade barrier for developing countries’ agricultural processed products exports

The paper analyses the trade barriers that thwart diversification efforts of developing countries into exports of value-added agricultural processed products. It examines the extent to which non-tariff measures act as market access barriers that constrain agricultural processed products exports from developing countries. The analysis shows that the prevalence of non-tariff measures (including domestic non-tariff measures) limit the ability of developing countries to increase their agricultural processed exports. This has important policy implications in terms of the emphasis that trade negotiators and policy planners should place on addressing non-tariff measures both in the domestic and foreign markets.

Breaking down barriers on PV trade will facilitate global carbon mitigation

The global trade of solar photovoltaic (PV) products substantially contributes to increases in solar power generation and carbon emissions reductions. This paper depicts global PV product trade patterns, explores emissions reduction potential, and evaluates the impeding effect of tariff barriers on global PV product trade and emissions reductions. Solar power generation will result in a reduction of emissions in a range of 50–180 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2e) between 2017 and 2060 in a business as usual (BAU) scenario. Compared with BAU, during 2017–2060, global total solar cell and module production and installation will increase by roughly 750 gigawatts (GW) if half of the status quo trade barrier are removed, while it will decrease by 160–370 GW under tensioned trade barrier scenarios. Trade barrier reduction by half from the 2017 status quo level will increase the net carbon emissions mitigation potential by 4–12 GtCO2e by 2060, while extra trade barrier imposition will result in global net carbon emissions mitigation potential decreasing by up to 3–4 GtCO2e by 2060. Well-coordinated policy and institutional reforms are recommended to facilitate PV product trade and to deliver the related global environmental benefits.

Promising Detoxification Approaches to Mitigate Aflatoxins in Foods and Feeds

Aflatoxins are a group of naturally occurring carcinogenic mycotoxins produced by certain Aspergillus species in nuts, grains, oilseeds and vegetables. Ingestion of aflatoxin contaminated food and feed has extremely negative health implications in humans and livestocks. Additionally, exporting countries face the trade barrier due to strict regulations in international market to maintain food quality. This led to huge economic losses to global exporters. Therefore, there is an urgent need for development of effective methods for detoxification of aflatoxins from food and feed to ensure food security. Till date, numerous methods for detoxification of aflatoxins from foods have been employed. Physical, chemical and biological treatment are the novel promising approaches for partial/complete detoxification of aflatoxins from the foodstuffs. In this chapter, we will address the efficacy and shortcomings of each methods in with respect to economic importance, human health and food security.

Effect of Forest Certification on International Trade in Forest Products

Forest certification plays an important role in the global trade of legal, sustainably harvested timber. There is no accurate definition of how international forest certification systems impact international trade from a global perspective. This paper is intended to evaluate the influence of forest certification on international trade, so that it can provide a scientific basis for the improvement of the international forest certification systems and for the development of relevant forestry industries in different countries. First, the influence of forest certification on international trade of forest products is explained in the economic model; hence, four hypotheses are put forward. Second, to test these hypotheses, we verify the panel data of bilateral trade and forest certification of all forest products among 67 economies from 2009 to 2018 by incorporating forest certifications into the gravity model. Finally, tests by country groups and product groups were further analyzed, respectively. The results show that: (1) The extended Poisson pseudo maximum likelihood (PPML) estimation solves the problem of the heteroscedasticity and zero trade value problems of the gravity model well in the forest industry. (2) Forest certification has an export competitive effect, a trade barrier effect, as well as common language effect. (3) Forest certification has asymmetric trade effects. The export competitive effect of forest certification in developing countries is greater than that in developed countries. Forest certification has become a trade barrier for developing countries, especially in the process of trade with developed countries. The common language effect is higher during the trade between developed and developing countries. The export competitive effect of wood products is higher than that of furniture products. Forest certification has trade barrier effect on wood products in developing countries, while it has trade barrier effect on furniture products in developed countries.