ETOs in the Context of Eco-destruction and Climate Change

This guide argues that States have extraterritorial obligations (ETOs) to protect human rights from environmental destruction and climate change. Using the Maastricht Principles, it asserts that States must regulate transnational corporations and cooperate internationally to prevent transboundary harm, citing examples such as illegal logging in tropical forests and hazardous shipbreaking in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.

• Extraterritorial obligations (ETOs) are presented as a necessary legal mechanism to address gaps in human rights protection caused by globalization, specifically regarding the lack of accountability for transnational corporations (TNCs), intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), and the intersection of investment and trade law with human rights.
• The Maastricht Principles, issued on 28 September 2011 by 40 international law experts, clarify existing international law regarding the extraterritorial obligations of States. They establish that States must avoid acts or omissions that create a real risk of impairing economic, social and cultural rights (ESCRs) abroad, and they must regulate non-State actors to prevent such impairments.
• Eco-destruction and climate change are identified as threats to the entire human rights project, causing population displacement, threatening international peace and security, and impairing rights to food, water, and a healthy environment. The document notes that the World Health Organization estimates climatic changes cause over 150,000 deaths annually, while a 2012 DARA report suggests up to 400,000 deaths per year.
• Illegal logging is highlighted as an organized international threat where criminals use sophisticated methods like computer hacking. A 2012 UNEP Interpol report estimates that illegal logging accounts for 50-90 percent of forestry volume in key tropical producer countries. The document asserts that failure to engage in international cooperation to combat this is a failure to uphold human rights obligations.
• Shipbreaking activities have been externalized from developed countries to developing countries, specifically Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, using a process called 'beaching'. This process exposes migrant workers and local communities to hazardous substances like asbestos, PCBs, and heavy metals, and releases toxins into the marine environment.
• Climate change is framed as a security risk that can aggravate existing threats to international peace. The document cites the conflict in Darfur, Sudan, as an example where environmental changes like drought and water scarcity may have contributed to violent confrontation.
• Indigenous peoples and environmental defenders are identified as being at heightened risk. Indigenous peoples are vulnerable due to their cultural and economic dependence on environmental resources, while environmental defenders face extraordinary risks and stigmatization for their work on the frontlines of eco-destruction.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2014). ETOs in the Context of Eco-destruction and Climate Change. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ETOs_CC_16Jan15.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. ETOs in the Context of Eco-destruction and Climate Change. 2014. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ETOs_CC_16Jan15.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=ETOs in the Context of Eco-destruction and Climate Change |date=December 2014 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ETOs_CC_16Jan15.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2014etos, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{ETOs in the Context of Eco-destruction and Climate Change}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2014}, month = dec, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ETOs_CC_16Jan15.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }