Within the past four decades, we’ve seen the rise of neo-liberalism, or so-called “Free Trade,” free trade agreements and various other treaties and agreements that reduce and eliminate barriers and regulation for capital to invest in different nation states. While there has been some resistance, capital and investments march on. Corporations and investors have created tools such as “international investment treaties (IITs)” to continue their profit-making ventures. These treaties result in litigation that can undermine, environmental, human rights and labor protections. This is particularly important as the world is gripped in a climate crisis and regulations on carbon emissions, human rights, and fossil fuel extraction are vital.
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In our latest we talk with the director of Columbia’s Center on Sustainable Investment (@CCSI_Columbia) Lisa Sachs about IITs and the legal tools corporations use to settle disputes with national governments when regulation gets in the way.
Bio// Lisa Sachs is the Director of the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment. She is a globally recognized expert in the ways that laws, policies and business practices shape global investment flows and affect sustainable development. She works with governments around the world, regional and international development organizations, financial institutions, companies, civil society organizations and academic centers to understand the inter-relations of investment flows and sustainable development, and to influence investment policies and practices to promote the SDGs and the Paris Agreement.
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