Climate hiccup in Australia-Britain free-trade deal
Britain wants to introduce climate change regulations into a free-trade deal with Australia after the first round of talks scoped each country’s priorities.
Britain wants to introduce climate change regulations into a free-trade deal with Australia after the first round of talks scoped each country’s priorities.
The first round of UK-Australia free-trade deal talks finished last week, with new talks scheduled for September.
Britain is looking for climate change policies and gender equity to be incorporated in many of the free-trade chapters.
It appears Britain’s negotiators are more confident of finding common ground with New Zealand, which has signalled its willingness to have climate policies written into their free-trade deal.
Britain is chairing a postponed UN climate change conference, COP21, next year and is keen to flag environmental concerns in all its free-trade negotiations.
It is understood Australia has pushed back on the climate change protocols and this, coupled with the levels of protectionism British farmers may demand around agriculture, have been early hiccups in the virtual talks that both countries say have been positive and productive.
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