Commuting - WTO Negotiations Open Possibility of Defining Bicycles as Environmental Goods

http://itdp.org/STe/ste21/wto.html

Current efforts to designate bikes as “environmentally preferable products” free of tariffs
and other trade barriers have gone largely unnoticed by the international bicycling community.

Organizations promoting bicycle use at the international level may have a new avenue to do so -- through the liberalization of trade in bicycles, bicycle parts and components, and bicycle accessories that could result from the World Trade Organization's (WTO) current negotiations on environmental goods and services.
...
There may still be an opportunity for bicycle advocates to tell their countries' WTO delegates just how important it is to grant "environmental good" status to bicycles, parts and accessories.


(sorry if this has been posted; didn't find it in search)

while that is good for increasing commodity trade in bicycles, it will go even further to encourage bike production in low-cost cheap labor countries. plus, the environmental impact of transporting something halfway across the globe is pretty against the spirit of an "environmentally prefereable product." sort of like flying organic spinach from New Zealand to New York.

How would this affect the average consumer? Cheaper goods or more profits for cycling companies?

How would this affect the average consumer? Cheaper goods or more profits for cycling companies?


Sound like positioning for the next boom in bicycle sales to max out profits with import goods. Leave fuel
cost high & build a bit of mass transit and bingo a new way to travel.....with bicycles!!:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Cheaper goods or more profits for cycling companies?

Both. Only you forgot one element of the equation: less pay for workers.

That sounds familiar. :(

We'll see how it plays out.

The US and other developed countries seem to be against free trade if it doesn't benefit them. There are unfair barriers on all kinds of things where another country has an advantage. When industry was developing in the (now) developed countries, there was lots of trade barriers to protect those industries that needed protection.

If the removal of barriers or tariffs results in more people in the world to get on bikes, I'm all for it. It's better for everyone if more trips are made on bikes.

The US and other developed countries seem to be against free trade if it doesn't benefit them.

In GDP terms, over the long term and on average, free trade should benefit all COUNTRIES. It doesn't neccesarily benefit most PEOPLE within those countries. Basically it involves higher returns to capital and lower returns to labor, with increased labor demand in new markets. It will help poor subsistence farmers and urban slum dwellers IF they can get access to factories where they can find wage labor. It will hurt most every other non-rich person.

Personally, I couldn't care if the government controlling the area within artificial lines on a map becomes more powerful or less powerful.

What would be really useful would be the elimination of sales taxes on bicycles, bicycle parts and components, and bicycle accessories. Whould have to be done at the state level though.

plus, the environmental impact of transporting something halfway across the globe is pretty against the spirit of an "environmentally prefereable product."
Your point is all too true, however, motor vehicles and their components are transported halfway across the globe. They weigh much more and take up much more space than bicycles and their components. Not ideal, but to my mind, still a preferable product.

In GDP terms, over the long term and on average, free trade should benefit all COUNTRIES. It doesn't neccesarily benefit most PEOPLE within those countries. Basically it involves higher returns to capital and lower returns to labor, with increased labor demand in new markets.

...so the therory goes, but all too often it's not been the case because of bitter pills swallowed by those who thought they would benefit and they end up throwing in protections to avoid swallowing any more.

It's been a while and on balance things have worked out for the better, but its amazing the exceptions that get introduced, and it makes one wonder why bother, if the deal is only good if it works out well for the most influential, than the less influential.

It's supposed to work out for everyone.

I would like to see a a limitation on car use by highschool students.

I cannot believe that this kids, who have to be bused to school by law*, tend to drive because the status symbol.

So far I saw only ONE in a pool of 1700 students. I would give extra credit to anyone who would commute on a bike, extra points for rain, cash reward for year round.

Start them young.


*minimum distance may vary