The Hidden Costs Of International Trade
Arınç TATLITUĞ tarafındanAccording to a Euronews report published on 5 September 2025;
Global trade can be a powerful drivers of economic growth, but it also carries hidden social and environmental costs that arenor evenly distributed across countries. While some nations gain economically, others face serious negative consequences such as rising carbon emmissions, water scarcity, air pollution, land use changes, and biodiversity loss.
Researchers, including Dr. Arunima Malik from the University of Sydney, studied 12 environmental and social indicators from 1990 to 2018. Their analysis shows that poorer countries often carry the heaviest burden of global consumption. Although trade has helped reduce poverty and promote decent work and economic growth in some regions, it has worsened inequalities in many others.
The study highlights that global trade is no longer only about economic growth. Rapid climate change, extreme weather events, ecosystem collapse, and disrupt local economies. If the true costs of trade continue to fall on vulnerable nations, trust in multilateral systems could be undermined, and existing inequalities could deepen.
Experts emphasize that to create a more sustainable and fair trade system, governments and companies must integrate justice and sustainability into production and consumption impacts, regularly report environmental and social effects, and ensure accountability for harmful practices. Such reforms are essential to long-term prosperity, international trust and the achievement of global development goals.
References:
Euronews. (2025, September 5). Uluslararası ticaretin gizli maliyeti ve payına zarar düşen ülkeler.
Arınç TATLITUĞ
