The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently took two significant actions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
First, it issued final National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) for six PFAS...more
In 2027, the UK will introduce a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) on imports of certain carbon intensive goods. The CBAM will impose a charge on the emissions embodied in relevant imports that take place on or after...more
4/5/2024
/ Carbon Emissions ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
HMRC ,
Imports ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Taxation ,
UK ,
Value-Added Tax (VAT)
From tariffs on high carbon goods to technical regulations that set emissions targets, well-designed trade policy is critical to deliver Net Zero. But there is growing debate over whether such measures are compatible with...more
Sustainability reporting and disclosure can bring many benefits, including greater transparency and increased accountability. But unless coupled with, and closely tied to, the implementation of a clear business strategy for...more
How to accelerate the transition to a sustainable economy is a hot regulatory topic for most major economies around the world – and is set to continue ascending the agenda in the years to come. As sustainability-related...more
3/7/2024
/ Asia Pacific ,
Capital Markets ,
Carbon Capture and Sequestration ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Economic Reform ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Extraterritoriality Rules ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Global Market ,
Investment ,
Investors ,
Middle East ,
Net Zero ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainability ,
Taxonomy ,
UK ,
United States
Creating an effective regulatory framework will be critical to deliver Net Zero. But does that mean more – or less – regulation?
From trade agreements to taxonomies, carbon adjustment mechanisms to corporate sustainability...more
3/7/2024
/ Asia Pacific ,
Carbon Capture and Sequestration ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Global Economy ,
Global Market ,
Infrastructure ,
Investment Funds ,
Investment Management ,
Investors ,
Middle East ,
Net Zero ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Renewable Energy ,
Sustainability ,
Taxonomy ,
Technology Sector ,
UK ,
United States
Who has to comply with the Regulation? The Regulation only applies to EU person exporters who are selling, supplying, transferring, or exporting the targeted goods (including aircraft) to third-country counterparts outside of...more
The road to decarbonisation -
From the copper belts of Zambia and the lithium and cobalt deposits in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to the manganese mines in Gabon, the African continent holds much of the promise...more
2/6/2024
/ Africa ,
Batteries ,
Clean Energy ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Infrastructure ,
International Energy Agency (IEA) ,
Investment ,
Lithium Batteries ,
Mineral Extraction ,
Mining ,
Net Zero ,
Popular ,
Supply Chain ,
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
In light of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the UK and EU, in close collaboration with their G7 partners, have continued to exert economic pressure on Russia through an array of sanctions.
In this bulletin, we...more
Last year, we wrote about ClientEarth’s application to the High Court of England and Wales for permission to bring a judicial review claim, alleging that the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) unlawfully approved the IPO...more
1/18/2024
/ Capital Markets ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Initial Public Offering (IPO) ,
Judicial Review ,
Sustainability ,
UK
The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) new package of sustainability disclosure requirements (SDR) and investment labelling rules is a key pillar of the UK government’s efforts to introduce an economy-wide SDR regime. All...more
12/20/2023
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Greenwashing ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
UK
The UK has finally confirmed that it will be following the EU and introducing its own Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to be implemented by 2027.
It published the eagerly awaited outcome of its consultation on...more
The FCA has issued the final version of its rules for stage one of the UK’s new Sustainability Disclosure Requirements or SDR, together with its new ESG product labelling regime. The rules are detailed and complex. The new...more
The FCA has issued the final version of its new anti-greenwashing rule – part of a package that includes additional rules as stage one of the UK’s new Sustainability Disclosure Requirements or SDR, plus the FCA’s new ESG...more
On 6 October 2023, the Court of Appeal handed down judgment in the case of Mints & ors v PJSC National Bank Trust & anor [2023] EWCA 1332.
The judgment confirmed that the UK’s sanctions do not preclude the English courts...more
12/5/2023
/ Appeals ,
Control Test ,
Financial Institutions ,
HM Treasury ,
International Trade ,
New Legislation ,
Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Russia ,
Sanctions ,
UK ,
UK Supreme Court
As the aviation industry pins its hopes on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050, Joe Clinton, Matthew Townsend, Richard Chamberlain and Ying-Peng Chin outline the regulatory, investment...more
11/29/2023
/ Aircraft ,
Airlines ,
Aviation Industry ,
Biofuel ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Climate Change ,
EU ,
Middle East ,
Net Zero ,
Popular ,
Renewable Fuel ,
Sustainability ,
Transportation Industry ,
UK
The just transition ambition is grounded in a desire to meet global climate targets, while ensuring improved social and economic outcomes. Global cooperation will be necessary to deliver a just transition but, as...more
We recently hosted an event as part of our Sustainable Transition seminar series titled “Tax incentives for sustainable investments: where are the opportunities?”. In this article, our panellists set out some of the key...more
The European Commission (EC)’s third annual report on EU foreign direct investment (FDI) screening covers the operation of the screening mechanism in 2022. Together with a Commission Staff Working Document, it details...more
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published its final Green Agreements Guidance on how UK antitrust rules apply to green cooperation agreements between competitors (UK Green Guidance).
The UK Green Guidance...more
10/19/2023
/ Antitrust Division ,
Antitrust Provisions ,
Climate Change ,
Competition ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
New Guidance ,
Popular ,
Sustainability ,
UK ,
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)
Waves of reform to sustainability reporting regimes are only beginning and will gather pace. Much has happened since the first two Sustainability Disclosure Standards were published by the International Sustainability...more
After facing criticism for restricting various benign overt actions of non-UK organisations, businesses and charities, the FIRS was narrowed before the Bill received Royal Assent on 11 July 2023....more
The EU Regulation establishing a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) is designed to drive businesses to achieve a true global reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions instead of relocating carbon-intensive production...more
10/3/2023
/ Carbon Emissions ,
Climate Change ,
Cross-Border Transactions ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Importers ,
International Trade ,
New Regulations ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Taxation
Until now, however, no comprehensive estimate existed of the of that opportunity, (or, to put it another way, the size of the financing gap between committed spending and the investment needed to deliver Net Zero by 2050...more
9/25/2023
/ Carbon Emissions ,
Climate Action Plan ,
Climate Change ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Infrastructure ,
Investment ,
Investment Management ,
Investors ,
Net Zero ,
Paris Agreement ,
Private Investment Funds ,
Renewable Energy ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Finance ,
UK
The Commission has launched a far reaching consultation and review of SFDR, long expected by the industry. This bulletin provides an overview, as well as giving thought as to what we might see in terms of SFDR 2.0....more
9/25/2023
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) ,
Investment ,
Investment Management ,
Investors ,
Regulatory Reform ,
SFDR ,
Sustainable Finance ,
Taxonomy ,
UK