Environmental impacts have long been an outcome of a free market economic system that doesn't factor in the impacts of its operation. We can see this through the overfishing of oceans, degradation of natural environments and climate change to name a few. For years free trade agreements and bodies like the World Trade Organization have exacerbated environmental problems by promoting a model of economic development that prioritised trade over guardianship responsibilities.

Despite this there is a push to respond to these market failings within the existing trade frameworks and market-based beliefs. Often however, this approach only reinforces the existing power dynamics or allows the environmental harm to continue while being dressed up as something helpful.

The need to act to protect ocean resources and respond to climate change is urgent however we must move beyond the false solutions to real action at the source of the problem.