Environmental Democracy: An international instrument to increase multinational corporations' accountability and liability for environmental degradation and human rights violations

This research explores the intersection of climate change, environmental degradation, multinational corporations (MNCs), and human rights (HR) violations within the framework of international law. It argues that economic activities, particularly those of MNCs operating within global value chains, significantly contribute to environmental degradation and HR abuses. Despite a well-developed regulatory framework, gaps persist, allowing MNCs to evade accountability for their actions. One potential avenue for addressing these gaps is through the lens of environmental democracy, a relatively new concept that has yet to be fully explored in the context of corporate liability and accountability. The research begins by examining the shortcomings of the current regulatory system, highlighting the lack of state incentive to effectively regulate MNCs and protect citizens from their negative impacts. It then turns to an analysis of environmental democracy, tracing its development and considering its potential implications for addressing corporate environmental degradation and human rights violations. By leveraging environmental democracy as an instrument to pressure states into stronger protections of environmental human rights, the thesis suggests that it can indirectly contribute to greater accountability of MNCs. However, while environmental democracy offers promise as an international instrument for promoting corporate liability and accountability, it is not a panacea. The thesis concludes by identifying other potential improvements to the current regulatory system, emphasising the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing the complex challenges posed by MNCs in the context of environmental and HR protection.