Corporate Due Diligence, Human Rights and Climate Change: From Self-Regulation to Legal Obligations

TY - CHAP

T1 - Corporate Due Diligence, Human Rights and Climate Change

T2 - From Self-Regulation to Legal Obligations

AU - Hartmann, Jacques

AU - Savaresi, Annalisa

PY - 2026/6/15

Y1 - 2026/6/15

N2 - This chapter examines the growing convergence of corporate due diligence legislation, human rights law, and climate litigation. It traces the evolution of corporate climate responsibilities from voluntary corporate social responsibility initiatives to legally enforceable obligations under domestic and international law. Courts and legislators are increasingly framing corporate duties to prevent, mitigate, and remediate climate-related harms in terms of human rights obligations. Landmark cases, such as Milieudefensie v. Shell, illustrate how companies can be held legally accountable for failing to manage climate risks. The chapter also explores the challenges of this transition, including political resistance, compliance burdens, and uncertainty regarding enforcement, while emphasizing the central role of human rights and due diligence frameworks in addressing accountability gaps in climate governance.

AB - This chapter examines the growing convergence of corporate due diligence legislation, human rights law, and climate litigation. It traces the evolution of corporate climate responsibilities from voluntary corporate social responsibility initiatives to legally enforceable obligations under domestic and international law. Courts and legislators are increasingly framing corporate duties to prevent, mitigate, and remediate climate-related harms in terms of human rights obligations. Landmark cases, such as Milieudefensie v. Shell, illustrate how companies can be held legally accountable for failing to manage climate risks. The chapter also explores the challenges of this transition, including political resistance, compliance burdens, and uncertainty regarding enforcement, while emphasizing the central role of human rights and due diligence frameworks in addressing accountability gaps in climate governance.

UR - https://books.openedition.org/dice/19654

U2 - 10.4000/16dsl

DO - 10.4000/16dsl

M3 - Chapter (peer-reviewed)

SP - 87

EP - 97

BT - Climate Change Litigation and Corporations in Europe

PB - DICE Editions

CY - Aix-en-Provence

ER -