Amid accusations of tax avoidance directed towards some of the world’s largest multinationals, governments around the globe have started to act. Triggered by the 2010 US Dodd-Frank Act (Section 1504), the EU passed ambitious legislation in June 2013 on transparency. In this article I discuss those policies, along with extractive industries initiatives. I argue that transparency norms should be extended to environmental pressures. A driving force could be the vision of increasing revenues and public investments for green economies in resource-rich developing countries, with global prosperity stemming from increasing resource efficiency and lowering environmental risks along international value chains. Accordingly, I develop two scenarios for the future: a “realistic” one with limited participation, weak enforcement, and cumulated ensuing risks; and an “opportunity” scenario, which involves taking opportunities for cooperation and resource efficiency. Finally, I draw conclusions and provide recommendations toward a global environmental politics with a strong transparency component.
The...