Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence Legislation in Canada #KAIROSClimateAction
Achieving climate justice requires a transformation away from the destructive and extractive model of economic development which dominates the world today to one where humanity lives within its natural limits, upholds human rights, and lives in right relationship with all living things. Today, many communities in the Global South report harms caused by extractive companies linked to Canada, such as water shortages and contamination, deforestation, and an increase in violence against environmental rights defenders. These harms hinder global climate justice.
“If Canada intends to be a leader of the green economy to confront the climate emergency, the federal government must address the lack of mandatory and enforceable corporate accountability measures, which have had devastating consequences — within and beyond the Canadian border.”
Written in a recent oped for the National Observer, by Gabriela Jimenez, Latin America Partnerships Coordinator, KAIROS.
Canada’s international human rights parliamentary subcommittee has recommended that Canada enact mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence legislation (mHREDD) to address human rights and environmental harms. In May 2021, the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability (CNCA) released draft model Human Rights and Due Diligence (mHREDD) legislation.
The Act would:
- Establish a corporate duty on companies linked to Canada to prevent human rights abuses and environmental harms.
- Require companies to conduct due diligence and publicly report on the steps taken to prevent human rights and environmental harms.
- Include significant consequences for companies that cause harm and/or fail to conduct due diligence.
To learn more about The Corporate Respect for Human Rights and the Environment Abroad Act, read the CNCA’s executive summary and infographic.
Day of Action!
Our Day of Action comes early this week! CNCA will launch a campaign in support of the Corporate Respect for Human Rights and the Environment Abroad Act later this fall, but you can take action now. The CNCA has prepared an Activist Toolkit accessible though Google Docs for those already interested in contacting their Member of Parliament.
Learn more and stay tuned about CNCA’s upcoming campaign.
