Part VI Actors, Ch.41 Business and Industry

This chapter studies how, in the study of international environmental law, business corporations are typically viewed as actors under the auspices of various regulatory regimes developed by nation-states, or recognized as having some tacit influence over the agenda setting and implementation of such regimes. This perspective might also acknowledge the limited accountability of corporations under international law. Another perspective is the business sector's initiative in shaping its own environmental agenda, often in the name of ‘corporate social responsibility’ (CSR). The chapter then surveys the role of corporate law and corporate governance in shaping environmental performance, and introduces the goals, mechanisms, and actors of the global CSR movement. It examines the governance of business in international environmental law, including corporate liability for wrongdoing. The chapter also looks at examples of new forms of multi-stakeholder environmental collaboration involving the business sector.