Milieuverantwoordelijkheid

Milieuverantwoordelijkheid, often translated as environmental responsibility, is the obligation of individuals, organizations, and governments to limit harm to the environment and to promote sustainable practices. The concept encompasses the lifecycle of resources—from extraction and production to consumption and disposal—focusing on reducing pollution, conserving energy and water, reducing waste, protecting biodiversity, and mitigating climate change.

In practice, environmental responsibility is pursued through policies, regulations, and voluntary governance tools. Businesses may implement environmental management systems (for example, ISO 14001), conduct life cycle assessments, and publish sustainability or ESG reports. Public sector actors may design environmental policies, enforce compliance, and encourage green procurement and innovation.

Common approaches include setting targets for emissions reductions, improving energy efficiency, adopting circular economy principles, and engaging stakeholders across supply chains. Transparency and accountability are often pursued via reporting frameworks and sustainability disclosures.

Criticisms of environmental responsibility highlight potential issues like greenwashing, where claimed efforts do not match actual performance, and the uneven enforcement of regulations across jurisdictions. Practical challenges include accurately measuring impact, balancing economic and environmental goals, and ensuring participation from all relevant actors.

See also: Corporate social responsibility, sustainability, environmental policy, ESG, green economy.