Trans-Pacific Trade Leaders Fail to Reach a Deal on TPP

Today, a meeting between trade ministers from the U.S. and the 11 other governments negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership in Beijing, China resulted in no agreement on the contentious trade pact.  

In response, Ilana Solomon, Director of the Sierra Club’s Responsible Trade Program, released the following statement:

“It’s no surprise the Trans-Pacific countries are finding it hard to cut a deal -- countries including the Unites States are dealing with strong and growing opposition to the pact from the public and policy makers.  There are still large divides between TPP countries on a number of issues, from medicine patents to the illegal timber trade.”

”TPP governments have kept the text of the agreement hidden from the public, but what we know about the pact is deeply distressing.  Leaked documents reveal that the pact would threaten our environment and our climate by giving foreign corporations the power to challenge local safeguards that protect public health in private trade tribunals.  The agreement would also result in a flood of natural gas exports from the United States and, therefore, increased fracking that will harm families, our air, water and land.”

“The days of NAFTA-era trade pacts must come to an end.  We need a new model of trade that prioritizes the needs of communities, workers, and the environment above the profits of multinational corporations"

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About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 2.4 million members and supporters nationwide. In addition to creating opportunities for people of all ages, levels and locations to have meaningful outdoor experiences, the Sierra Club works to safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and litigation. For more information, visit http://www.sierraclub.org.