Global Environmental Liability: Multinational Corporations under Scrutiny

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyse the extent of international rules that apply to multinational corporations (MNCs) regarding their environmentally degrading activities and quality control qua environmental impact. The first part of the article describes the ambiguous legal status of MNCs and examines the rules that international instruments and host state agreements impose on the activities of MNCs. The second part focuses on jurisdiction and choice of law issues of cross-border litigation and brings out its major shortcoming. Finally, the conclusion comments on the efficiency of international law in imposing environmental liability on MNCs.