"Principle 12 of the Rio Declaration called on importing countries to avoid taking
unilateral environmental action outside their jurisdiction. Instead, it recommended that environmental measures that address transboundary or global environmental problems be based on an ‘international consensus.' Hence, the importance of multilateral environmental accords […]. Rio's Principle 12 has been referred to repeatedly in the WTO's environmental discussions, particularly by developing countries who have feared that they would be subjected to
unilateral determinations by importing countries on what is ‘good' or ‘bad' for the environment."
(World Trade Organization,
Lamy urges members to support multilateral environmental accords, 2006, visited 2010-03-10)