The Draft Convention Ecocide and the Role for Corporate Remediation. Some Insights from the International Monsanto Tribunal and a Recent Research Proposal

Abstract

Abstract The debate on introducing the international crime of ecocide and corporate liability at the international level has been intense during the last fifty years. A recent research project elaborated two draft conventions on the supranational crime of ecocide and transnational crimes (eco-crimes), both acknowledging corporate liability. Also in recent years, the International Monsanto Tribunal – an opinion tribunal – found the Monsanto multinational enterprise responsible for ecocide: although not binding, its advisory opinion tackles most of the critical issues arising from corporate environmental crime. After a review of the case, the article analyses the Draft Convention Ecocide, focusing on the main features of this crime and the corporate liability system provided. Albeit some aspects could be subject to critics, the project has several strengths, particularly for its pragmatic approach to corporate remediation, and also aimed at fostering the dialogue between the national States through the approval of a specific convention.