APEC trade ministers say lowering barriers to trade in environmental goods could help restore confidence in global trade negotiations.
At a meeting in Kazan, Russia, this week, the ministers from the 21 Pacific Rim economies received a report from the head of the World Trade Organisation, Pascal Lamy, on the stalled Doha round of world trade talks.
The ministers say lowering barriers on environmental goods, such as wind turbines and solar panels, could send a signal that APEC is willing to play its part in freeing up global trade.
Attempts by the United States to get such an agreement were shot down by China for being overly ambitious last November.
But ministers say a schedule of cuts on which APEC members can agree on, could be ready by this year's leaders meeting in September.
