Office of Environment and Natural Resources
The Office of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) has broad responsibilities to leverage trade negotiations and relationships to pursue environmental achievements. In recent years, ENR has pursued this mission across a variety of multilateral, regional and bilateral initiatives, including the WTO, APEC, free trade agreements (FTAs), trade and investment framework agreements (TIFAs) and commodity trade agreements. ENR also works with other USTR offices to develop and implement policies associated with foreign environmental measures that impact U.S. trade interests and represents USTR and trade interests in negotiations on multilateral environmental agreements. ENR follows developments in the Congress related to environmental legislation that may result in trade implications. Recently ENR has undertaken wide-ranging coordinating responsibilities within USTR for climate change matters, domestic and international. Additionally, ENR is responsible for conducting environmental reviews of multilateral and FTA negotiations and an annual report on trade barriers to greenhouse gas intensity-reduction technologies. ENR is responsible for negotiating environment chapters in all FTAs. These chapters include obligations on effective enforcement of laws, non-derogation of environmental protections in encouraging increased trade or investment, domestic procedural protections, and promotion of public participation in environmental matters.
For more information on USTR’s Office of Environment & Natural Resources, click here.
