Remediation and Nature and Landscape Protection Services: An Examination of U.S. and Foreign Markets. Investigation No. 332-454

摘要

Remediation and nature and landscape protection services are segments of the environmental services sector. Remediation services entail the cleanup of soil and water environments after contamination has occurred, while nature and landscape protection services involve the prevention or mitigation of future soil and water contamination as well as the protection of soil and water ecosystems. The environmental services sector as a whole has received special emphasis in the World Trade Organization (WTO), as the reduction or elimination of barriers affecting trade in such services has been identified in the Doha Ministerial Declaration as one of the principal goals of the present negotiating round. Moreover, environmental issues have become increasingly tied to international trade and investment, such that the environmental impact of trade agreements is more likely to be evaluated and considered as a critical component of the policy under consideration. This report provides an overview of U.S. and foreign markets for remediation and nature and landscape protection services; examines trade and investment in remediation and nature and landscape protection services markets, including barriers affecting such trade and investment; and discusses existing regulatory practices. Information is presented on both developed- and developing-country markets. The largest markets for remediation services are in developed economies, with the United States ranking as the worlds largest such market. There does not appear to be a well-defined market for nature and landscape protection services among the markets selected for analysis (Australia, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, the European Union, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, the United States, and developing countries considered as a group), as a wide variety of laws and regulations pertain to the market, and there are few firms that specialize in the industry. However, the prevalence of biodiversity-related regulations in these markets as well as widespread membership in multilateral conventions on nature and landscape protection issues demonstrate global awareness of such concerns. The extent of cross-border trade and investment in remediation and nature and landscape protection services markets is small compared with some other segments ofthe environmental services industry, but is expected to grow in the long term, as the markets for these services mature outside of the United States.