ABSTRACT
This chapter forwards the argument that the economic backdrop of globalization and free market capitalism accompanied by an explosion in the number of multinational corporations (MNCs) obstructs the enforcement of environmental justice in powerful ways. Human welfare, justice, and equity concerns are trumped by forces of the market which provide economic rationalizations for all such charges, evading political responsibility. The chapter explores the bleak potential for the realization of environmental justice goals in the wake of an explosion of MNCs that have begun to shape global governance. It discusses the growth in size and influence of MNCs, which are the embodiments of the globalized capitalist economy. The chapter explores some legal questions about MNCs in global governance and how their activities can be legislated by national and international laws. It concludes on a pessimistic note by reiterating how environmental justice is impacted adversely by the neoliberal agenda and the growth of MNCs.
