Krajewski M (2017)
Publication Type: Book chapter / Article in edited volumes
Publication year: 2017
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Edited Volumes: Challenge of Balancing Economic and Non-Economic Policy Objectives
Series: The Regulation of the Global Water Services Market
Book Volume: 2
ISBN: 9781316678442
DOI: 10.1017/9781316678442.008
Introduction The activities of multinational enterprises can have a significant impact on the provision of clean and sufficient water on a global basis. This is particularly noticeable in the case of companies which are in charge of the supply and distribution of drinking water and sanitation services, because their behaviour determines the access of individuals and households to water. Large multinational companies such as Veolia or Suez are engaged in the business of water services all over the world and provide millions of customers with water. In addition to companies directly supplying water, industries with an extensive need of water for production or processing (e.g. cooling nuclear power plants) or business activities with a potential impact on water resources such as extractive industries may also have significant effects on the access to clean and safe water. In most cases, the activities of private enterprises in the water market and in other business sectors are regulated by the domestic legal system. However, it is often the case that these regulations may be insufficient due to regulatory weaknesses, the transnational character of the respective companies or because of their sheer economic power. Regulating multinational corporations through international norms and instruments is therefore an increasingly important element of global economic governance. The regulation of the global water market therefore encompasses the regulation of multinational companies which may affect the access to and use of water. In this context, the human right to water is a crucial normative reference point as it contains international legal obligations concerning water access and water use. However, the potential and scope of human rights generally and the human right to water specifically as effective regulatory instruments for private companies are disputed and not clear. Yet, recent developments in the United Nations and the Organisation for Economic Corporation and Development (OECD) indicate that the relevance of human rights as normative standards for the behaviour of multinational companies is increasing. This could lead to a greater clarification of the human rights in question and may therefore add a layer to the multi-level system of the regulation of multinational corporations.
APA:
Krajewski, M. (2017). Protecting the human right to water through the regulation of multinational enterprises. In Julien Chaisse (Eds.), Challenge of Balancing Economic and Non-Economic Policy Objectives. Cambridge University Press.
MLA:
Krajewski, Markus. "Protecting the human right to water through the regulation of multinational enterprises." Challenge of Balancing Economic and Non-Economic Policy Objectives. Ed. Julien Chaisse, Cambridge University Press, 2017.
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