Water, private companies and the furtherance of the public good

Prof. Laurence Boisson de Chazournes, Dr Mara Tignino et Haoua Savadogo

This large-scale project will contribute to implementing one of the recommendations of the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace, which was set up by Switzerland in 2015. The aim of the project is to develop a code of good practices on water management and biodiversity protection that will apply to all companies regardless of their size and sector of activity.

This project received a research grant from the Fondation de bienfaisance du groupe Pictet in 2020. In 2021,  it received a grant from Fondation Barbour.

Outcomes

Publications

• Forthcoming - M. Tignino, T. Kebebew, “Access to Water and Peacebuilding”, in D. Dam de-Jong, B.  Sjostedt (eds.) Research Handbook on International Law and Peacebuilding, Edward Elgar.
• Forthcoming  - M. Tignino, F. Restifo, T. Kebebew, “The rights to water and sanitation and the UNDROP:  the implementation challenges of a comprehensive approach” in A. Bessa, M. Brunori. M.G, Alabrese, P.F. Giuggioli (eds), Research Handbook on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants, Routledge.
• M. Tignino (2021), “Corporate human rights due diligence and liability in armed conflicts: The role of the ILC Draft Principles on the protection of the environment and the Draft Treaty on Business and Human Rights”, Questions of International Law.
• M. Tignino (2021), “Prior notification and water rights”, AJIL Unbound, pp. 189-194.
• L. Boisson de Chazournes (2020), “The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Rule of Law: A Propos SDG 6 on Access to Water and Sanitation”,  Proceedings of the ASIL Annual Meeting, 114, pp.143-147.

Events

• 30 Nov. 2021 - Commission des droits de l'Homme de l'Ordre des Avocats de Genève. Webinar on the theme: "Crise climatique et environnement - sujet brûlant pour les entreprises et avocats". Panelists on the theme: « L’élaboration d’un code de bonnes pratiques pour les entreprises en matière de gestion de l'eau et de protection de la biodiversité » - L. Boisson de Chazournes and H. Savadogo
• 22 Nov. 2021 - ENEL's Internal Practice Sharing Meeting with Sustainability and Innovation Professionals. Webinar on “Sustainable development in the management and protection of water resources: the role of international law” – M. Tignino
• 23 Aug. 2021 - Stockholm World Water Week. Intervention on the theme: « Water, human rights and peacebuilding» - M. Tignino
• 10 June 2021 - University of Neuchâtel. Presentation of the Prix Nexans 2020. Conference on « La gouvernance internationale de l’environnement, un enjeu pour l’avenir ». Intervention on the theme: « Les Objectifs du développement durable : Réflexions sur leurs contours juridiques » - L. Boisson de Chazournes
• 18 May 2021 - Institut romand systémique éthique (IRSE) and Workshop for Water Ethics (W4W). Webinar, 6^thinterdisciplinary colloquium on « Water Ethics: What does it mean in practice? ». Intervention on “The contribution of The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to access to water” during the 1st part on the theme: « 2021 and its Water Challenges » - L. Boisson de Chazournes
• 26 Nov. 2020 - University of Geneva Workshop on: « Human Rights and the Climate Change Crisis: The Right to a Healthy Environment, the Right to Water and the Right to Development ». Panelist on the theme: « The right to water: a proxy for the right to a healthy environment? » - L. Boisson de Chazournes
• 25 June 2020 - 114^th American Society of International Law (ASIL) Annual meeting on « The Promise of International Law». Panelist on the theme: « Sustainable Development and International Law: Fragmentation, disconnects and the challenge of international policy coherence in meeting the SDGs» - L. Boisson de Chazournes

Other activities

• OSCE E-learning Course on “Water diplomacy”.  Course on « Water in Human Rights Law” - M. Tignino
• Supervision of the project Capstone on “Financialization of water, human rights and environmental protection: what are the issues at stake?” led by a group of students from the Graduate Institute of International and Development studies and organization of an event with a group of experts to provide input to the research (22 Nov. 2021) - M. Tignino
• European Parliament In-Depth Study on “The Human Right to drinking water: impact of large-scale agriculture and industry”, report review - M. Tignino 

Other articles

Laurence Boisson de Chazournes et ce droit international qui lui coule dans les veines, Stéphane Bussard, 01.03.2023, Le Temps