Accountability Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Accountability - Research Paper Example In a world that is increasingly becoming globalised with transnational companies reigning in economic power and supremacy, there is growing laxity in regard to the implementation of environmental regulations and high tolerance to human rights violations.The transnational companies currently are not liable to charges in regard to the destruction of the environment under international law which means that when harm is caused to individuals and by extension to future generations by a party, the party is bound to go scot free. What this implies is that international law does not give due respect to environmental accountability. While nations have instituted laws that regulate anthropogenic activities in relation to their impacts on the environment, many of these are lax giving people and organizations to become less accountable to future generations as they degrade the environment. Many have argued repeatedly that the world belongs to the future generation. The future generation in this context is the children and those who are yet to be born. However, the children have neither the power to vote nor the financial or political power to influence decisions made by the government that may affect their future well-being according to the World Commission on Environment and Development (1997) . This implies that their future wholly depends on the institutional and governance mechanisms put in place by the government.This implies that their future wholly depends on the institutional and governance mechanisms put in place by the government. Therefore, to ensure the well-being of the future generation, the government must be accountable to the children at different levels. Accountability, according to the free dictionary, is the duty bestowed upon an organization or individual to account for its actions and accept liability for them as well as disclosing the outcomes of activities to the stakeholders2. Accountability for future generation, therefore, implies protecting the rights of every child in the country by ensuring that they live in an environment that is secure and has adequate health facilities to promote their well-being. Accountability also entails managing and protecting the environment for the benefit of both present and future generation. This can be achieved by guaranteeing both the present and future generations the right to public participation in decision-makings, access to information and justice in matters related to the environment3. This paper examines the concept of accountability in light of the rights and interests of future generation. Part I Various stakeholders demand for accountability, sometimes their demands contrasting one another. Businesses for example demand that the government provide an environment that is safe and secure – one in which business can thrive with minimum threats. Furthermore, businesses demand that the environment is conducive for living. In this respect, the organizations call upon the governm ent to be more accountable in ensuring that the natural environment is clean and devoid of physical threats. On the other hand, the government and members of the public demand that businesses take action to minimize the negative effects of their production activities on the environment. For example, the by instituting carbon accounting laws and instituting regulations regarding the control of environmental pollution by individuals and organizations, the government calls for greater accountability to the environment. The parties of which accountability is demanded, however, often find the responsibility taxing as it is associated with certain costs. It has been noted by several quarters that the future of the planet and generations to come depend on how accountable the present generation is to the environment. With this being the case, the issue of sustainable development has become a subject of great debate as businesses and governments strive to strike a balance between the present use of resources for the profit of organizations and the present generations and the good of future generations. The General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and