With global political and business leaders setting ambitious climate-focused goals for the coming decades, such as eliminating landfill waste by 2030, transitioning to 100% renewable energy use by 2035, and reaching net-zero carbon neutrality by 2050, the role of environmental whistleblowers is becoming increasingly important. Many believe these insiders could be instrumental in holding polluters accountable and ensuring these goals are met.
According to financial projections, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) assets are predicted to make up more than a third of the $140.5 trillion in projected total assets under management at over $50 trillion by 2025. As such, the long-established realm of corporate whistleblowing is starting to experience a cascading shift among its rankings, with increasing numbers of environmental whistleblowers coming forward.
Historically, whistleblowing laws have been utilized primarily in the corporate, healthcare, and financial sectors, with individuals in these industries coming forward to expose fraudulent or unethical practices. Recently, however, there’s been a marked increase in the use of these laws in the environmental sector. That said, various legal mechanisms already exist to both protect whistleblowers and facilitate the prosecution of those engaging in unlawful environmental practices.
This paradigm shift begs the question: Can whistleblowing laws effectively be used to hold polluters to account?
Much has been written on this topic, and the answer isn’t as straightforward as one might assume. Many barriers still stand in the way, from corporate and political resistance to deficiencies within the existing legal frameworks. But there is a wealth of untapped potential in these laws and how they can be applied to address environmental violations. As we brace for the alarming realities of climate change, these laws may play a major role in keeping polluters in check, bringing us a step closer to achieving our ambitious climate goals.