Harmonization of emission standards, ambient environmental quality standards, procedural requirements or laws, supplemented where feasible by negotiated minimum process standards, can play an important role by ensuring that these essential differences respect a common framework. But this approach will not always be possible or appropriate. In the absence of such agreements voluntarily accepted by all affected countries, and where the environmental consequences remain within domestic jurisdictions, other countries should not use economic sanctions or other coercive measures to try to eliminate differences in standards. Where there are significant transborder environmental impacts, solutions should be sought multilaterally. These might include international environmental agreements, the formulation of international standards, capacity-building, incentives for voluntary upgrading of standards and the possible use of trade measures.
Subsidiarity requires an important element of cooperation in international affairs.
The responsibility of countries seeking higher environmental standards abroad to seek them multilaterally, shunning coercive measures, is matched by an obligation on the part of other countries to cooperate in such efforts. International Cooperation Sustainable development requires strengthening international systems of cooperation at all levels, encompassing environment, development and trade policies. The most desirable forms of international cooperation will avoid conflicts, through international efforts at development and environmental protection, and by improving the functioning of the global trading exchange rate and financial system. These efforts might include more initiatives aimed at technology sharing, capacity build, transfers of resources and debt relief, and an opening of protected markets. Progress in these areas of cooperation will address the root causes of many apparent trade-environment conflicts, in particular large disparities in technical capacity for environmental management and a lack of resources to invest in environmental protection.