Mapping the presence and impacts of Transnational Corporations in Latin America and the Caribbean

The report by Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean (ATALC) examines how Transnational Corporations (TNCs) drive a capitalist system of accumulation through extractivism and the commercialization of services. It highlights the 'architecture of impunity'—including Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms—that allows TNCs to avoid accountability for environmental destruction and human rights abuses. The document details the impacts of agribusiness, forestry, mining, and energy sectors, noting that more than two-thirds of global territory defenders killed in 2019 were in Latin America. It advocates for a UN Binding Treaty to regulate TNCs and a transition toward an economy based on the sustainability of life and peoples' sovereignty.

• TNCs exercise disproportionate global power, with a 2016 study indicating that 69 of the top 100 economic entities are corporations rather than countries.
• The Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism creates a 'regulatory chilling effect' where states may freeze or retreat from public policies due to the threat of TNC lawsuits.
• Between 2009 and 2019, the number of claims by TNCs against Latin American countries rose to 165, representing 28.6% of all known investor-state disputes worldwide; investors won 70% of these cases.
• In 2019, Global Witness recorded 212 killings of territory and people defenders worldwide, with more than two-thirds occurring in Latin America and over half linked to mining communities.
• Industrial agriculture is identified as the primary cause of global biodiversity loss, with the expansion of the agricultural frontier causing 70% of deforestation in Latin America.
• The soybean agribusiness model in the Southern Cone resulted in the loss of 35 million hectares of native forest.
• The forestry sector is characterized by monoculture plantations that replace natural ecosystems, leading to soil acidification and increased sexual exploitation and human trafficking in mill-located communities.
• The oil palm industry in Latin America and the Caribbean is linked to violence, the violation of customary land rights, and precarious working conditions that can amount to contemporary slavery.
• Large-scale mining in the region often provides minimal tax burdens and low GDP contributions (below 10% in Mexico, Bolivia, and Colombia), while causing significant water pollution and biodiversity loss.
• The regional energy matrix remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels, which account for 74% of production, while hydroelectric power accounts for 15%.
• TNCs utilize 'corporate capture' strategies, such as the 'revolving door' between corporate and public positions, to influence legislation and undermine state regulatory authority.
• The report argues that voluntary instruments like the UN Global Compact are ineffective, and advocates for a legally binding international treaty to hold TNCs accountable across their entire global value chain.

APA

Cordo, A. (2020). Mapping the presence and impacts of Transnational Corporations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ATALC_transnational-corporations-peoples-rights-latin-america-and-the-caribbean_ENG.pdf

Chicago

Cordo, Azul. Mapping the presence and impacts of Transnational Corporations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Friends of the Earth International, 2020. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ATALC_transnational-corporations-peoples-rights-latin-america-and-the-caribbean_ENG.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cordo |first1=Azul |title=Mapping the presence and impacts of Transnational Corporations in Latin America and the Caribbean |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=November 2020 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ATALC_transnational-corporations-peoples-rights-latin-america-and-the-caribbean_ENG.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cordo2020mapping, author = {Cordo, Azul}, title = {{Mapping the presence and impacts of Transnational Corporations in Latin America and the Caribbean}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2020}, month = nov, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ATALC_transnational-corporations-peoples-rights-latin-america-and-the-caribbean_ENG.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }