Corporate actors and climate harms: the role of human rights law

Citation

Hartmann J & Savaresi A (2024) Corporate actors and climate harms: the role of human rights law. In: de Jong E (ed.) Corporate Accountability and Liability for Climate Change. Corporate Accountability and Liability for Climate Change. Edward Elgar Publishing, pp. 33-53. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035333226.00007

Abstract
Human rights-based complaints against corporate actors for climate harms are on the rise globally. This chapter highlights the gaps in global corporate governance and the role that human rights law may play in bridging them. It reflects on the ongoing UN negotiations on a Legally Binding Instrument to Regulate, in International Human Rights Law, the Activities of Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises. Specifically, it considers whether and how this proposed new treaty might address the multifaceted and complex questions associated with climate harms caused by corporate actors. Furthermore, it reflects on the law-making process concerning corporate due diligence in the EU and how the approach adopted in that context compares to that of UN treaty negotiations.