The Trans-Pacific Partnership, the environment and climate change

The ongoing, secretive treaty negotiations involve Australia and New Zealand; countries from South East Asia such as Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam; the South American nations of Peru and Chile; and the members of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, Canada, Mexico and the United States. There has also been some discussion as to whether Japan should be included in the negotiations. There has been much debate about the impact of this proposed treaty upon the environment, biodiversity and climate change. US Trade Representative Ron Kirk, has argued that the TPP will be a boon for the environment, but countries remain divided on the issue.