Corporate Responsibility for Climate Change: A Human Rights Perspective

Book: Intersectionality Between Climate Change and Sustainable Development Goals: A Socio-Legal Perspective from India by CSMFL Publications

by Priya Kumari1 & Pranav Anand Ojha2
1Assistant Professor, Program Chair [BBA LLB (Hons.)], Kirit P. Mehta School of Law (NMIMS), Mumbai, India; 2Assistant Professor, School of Law, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Andhra Pradesh, India.
10.46679/9788196780524ch08
This chapter is a part of: Intersectionality Between Climate Change and Sustainable Development Goals: A Socio-Legal Perspective from India
ISBN (Ebook):978-81-967805-2-4
ISBN (Hardcover Print):978-81-967805-0-0
ISBN (Softcover Print):978-81-967805-3-1

© CSMFL Publications & its authors.
Published: August 28, 2025

Kumari, P., & Ojha, P. A. (2025). Corporate Responsibility for Climate Change: A Human Rights Perspective. In N. Chaudhary & S. Chaturvedi, Intersectionality Between Climate Change and Sustainable Development Goals: A Socio-Legal Perspective from India (pp 125-139). CSMFL Publications.
https://dx.doi.org/10.46679/9788196780524ch08

Abstract

Climate change has immediate and irrevocable effects. Due to international cooperation and national governments’ climate change efforts, businesses worldwide have adopted ecologically responsible development, renewable energy, and recycling. In her 42nd Human Rights Council opening remarks, Michelle Bachelet said, “The window of opportunity for action may be shortening, but there is still time to enact climate change policies that integrate multiple social protection programs.” Enhanced corporate practices can safeguard the environment and human rights. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also advised private-public collaboration in this regard. Although international organizations and states are trying to recognize businesses’ climate change human rights commitments in court, getting corporations to address climate change is difficult. This requires investigation and interpretation to determine its feasibility, especially in developing countries like India. India is trying to balance economic growth and climate change. It has legislated Corporate Social Responsibility to encourage corporations to address environmental issues, however mandating corporations may cause economic and other issues. Based on this background, researchers examine the link between business and human rights. This is done to determine whether human rights obligations can hold companies liable for climate change. The first portion discusses climate change and human rights. The second segment analyses how business, climate change, and human rights assist corporations’ climate responsibility followed by certain recommendations for combatting the issue of climate change in India.

Keywords: Business, Human Rights, Climate Change, Lawsuits, Responsibility.

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