International corporate liability for environmental harm

Emissions do not stop at borders - global activities of economic actors may cause serious risks for the environment and human rights. However, states do not yet have the instruments to deal effectively with the ecological consequences of a globalised world. Even where international rules exist, there is often a lack of willingness or resources on the part of state authorities to enforce them. Environmental liability law is often attributed with the potential to close these gaps in the global protection of environmental goods. Liability law is not only able to obtain compensation for damage suffered by those whose rights have been violated by environmental damage. Instead, liability law serves a number of political and regulatory functions: it can help to clarify to the public the global dimension and transnational interrelations involved in environmental damage and may contribute to the further development of national and international law. In particular, environmental liability law can also have a preventive effect, as it can create financial risks and thus incentives for companies to prevent environmental damage. The research project reconstructs the framework of international liability law and evaluates corresponding legislative options for environmental protection and the enforcement of environmental standards, for example by improving the possibilities of legal action.