For a long time, the United States has gradually developed a set of sustainable development-oriented practices in international trade. This is not only reflected in government policies, but also in corporate behavior, market demand and multilateral cooperation.
As early as the 1990s, the United States began to include environmental and labor protection clauses in some free trade agreements, emphasizing the importance of fair trade and sustainable development. For example, the US-Jordan Free Trade Agreement was the first agreement to include mandatory environmental clauses. Since then, the United States has continued to promote environmental standards in multilateral negotiations and bilateral agreements. For example, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) includes clauses on wildlife protection, illegal fishing and air quality.
At the corporate level, many American multinational companies (such as Apple, Google, Coca-Cola, etc.) have long established environmental and social responsibility policies in the global supply chain, such as reducing carbon footprints, avoiding the use of forced labor, and promoting recycled materials. These measures not only conform to the international market's preference for "green products", but also enhance the brand's global competitiveness.
In addition, the United States is also an important exporter of sustainable technologies in the world. Its exports of green technologies such as solar energy, wind energy, biotechnology, and energy-saving equipment have long been among the highest in the world, supporting environmental protection projects and renewable energy transformation in other countries.
Although the federal government's environmental stance has changed during different presidential terms, overall, the driving force of local governments, businesses, and consumers in the United States for sustainable trade has remained stable. For example, states such as California have strict environmental export control systems that are highly linked to the international market.
In short, the United States' sustainable trade practices are driven by policies, markets, and technologies, serving both domestic transformation and global green development. In the future, the United States will continue to play a key role in the formulation of green trade rules and the export of green products.