And developing countries depending on exporting their resources are feeling the effects, as environmentally motivated trade barriers become more common. Trade and environment are linked in various ways. Differences in environmental legislation at the national and local levels can create an uneven playing field among trading partners. This type of competitive advantage can result in the non-enforcement or even lowering of existing regulations. Conversely, market demand can favour 'greener products' which encourage improved environmental performance.
Protected markets can also cause environmental damage by sheltering polluting domestic industries.
Occasionally, they can prevent the import of certain products. Canada's participation in the MFA costs Bangladesh more than Canadian official development assistance bound for that country. Developing countries need trade to develop sustainably. More open foreign trade would free resources to invest in environmental protection, cleaner and more efficient technology, transmission of higher environmental standards and so on. But they will only be successful if they also increase environmental protection efforts.