4. International law

Companies may therefore be required to compensate for environmental damage they have caused, whether on the basis of environmental civil liability (national law), environmental liability (European Union law), or, in the specific case of a breach of the duty of care (national law and, soon, European Union law). However, can they be held liable for environmental civil liability at the international level? Is there a form of corporate civil liability based on international law?

Today, this issue has become particularly pressing due to the growth of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Environmental liability based on international law could be considered. Nevertheless, for the time being, the preferred tools remain international conventions covering specific sectors.