foreseeability
/fɔːrˌsiːəˈbɪləti/
Definition
In a legal context, the degree to which a company could or should have reasonably anticipated that its business activities would result in environmental harm.
Etymology
Derived from the Middle English 'foresee' (to see beforehand) plus the suffix '-able' and the noun-forming suffix '-ity'. It reflects a shift from the Old English 'fore' (before) combined with 'seon' (to see) to describe the conceptual capacity to predict future outcomes.
In the news
The article explains that without standardized emission reporting, claimants struggle to prove foreseeability, making it difficult to establish a clear legal link between corporate actions and climate damage. This demonstrates why transparency is crucial for holding companies accountable for their long-term environmental impacts.
Scope 3 on Trial: What it Means For Corporate Climate Accountability
Read the full article ↗The Equation - Union of Concerned Scientists