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UK Government Sued Over Inadequate Assessment of Environmental Impacts of the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement

In May 2023, Global Feedback, an environmental advocacy group based in the UK and the Netherlands, announced that it had filed legal proceedings against the UK government, claiming that it failed to adequately assess the...more

UN-Initiated and Bank-Led Working Group Formed to Encourage Banks to Achieve Biodiversity Targets

On May 4, 2023, the United Nations announced the formation of a 35-member bank-led working group to promote nature- and biodiversity-related target setting that is aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity...more

MSCI Publishes Latest Annual Report on Public Company Climate Progress

According to the recently published MSCI May 2023 Net Zero Tracker report, more listed companies are making climate commitments, setting decarbonization targets, and providing related disclosures, but these steps have not...more

European Parliament Adopts Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive Amendments

On June 1, 2023, the European Parliament adopted amendments to the corporate sustainability due diligence regulation and amending directive. Under the amendments, large companies operating in the EU would be required to...more

European Council Adopts Position on Amendments to EU’s Green Transition Consumer Rules

On May 3, 2023, the European Council adopted its position and commented on a March 22, 2023 proposal to amend EU consumer rules targeting greenwashing. The proposal was submitted by the European Commission in March 2022 as...more

TNFD Publishes Final Draft Disclosure Framework

On March 28, 2023, the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) announced the release of the fourth and final iteration of its beta framework for nature-related risk management and disclosures, including a...more

Regulator’s Review of Pension Scheme Climate Reports Finds Room for Improvement

A review by The Pensions Regulator (TPR) of the published annual climate reports of more than 71 UK pension schemes found several areas where improvement is needed as well as emerging “good practices.”...more

Brazilian Congress Approves Legislation Aiming to Stimulate Carbon Credit Markets

On May 2, 2023, the Brazilian Senate approved legislation that amends rules relating to public forest concession contracts and, significantly, now allows the use and commercialization of carbon credits. The amendment, which...more

MSCI Announces Changes to Its ESG Rating Methodology, Resulting in Downgrades for Most Funds

MSCI has announced significant changes to its ESG investment fund ratings methodology that “aim to raise the requirements for a fund to be assessed as ‘AA’ or ‘AAA’ rated, improve stability in Fund ESG Ratings and add...more

EC Will Not Introduce Minimum Criteria for Sustainability Funds Under SFDR

The European Commission has rejected suggestions that it introduce minimum environmental standards for Article 8 or Article 9 funds under the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR). On April 14, 2023, the...more

The EU ‘Fit for 55’ Package Explained, Along With Its Potential to Spur Litigation

As we have been regularly reporting, the European Union is pursuing major changes in its climate policy. The next significant development is a new legislative policy package, dubbed “Fit for 55.” The planned reforms would...more

European Commission Launches Consultation on EU Climate Targets for 2040

The European Commission has launched a public consultation and a call for evidence seeking opinions on the EU’s intermediary climate targets for 2040. This is a scheduled step in the EU’s ambition to reach net-zero emissions...more

Biden Administration Pledges $500 Million to the Amazon Fund

On April 20, during a meeting of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF), President Biden pledged $500 million to the Amazon Fund, Brazil’s signature fund set up to raise donations for investments to prevent,...more

Only 5% of FTSE 100 Have “Credible” Net Zero Plans, Says Report

A new report by professional services firm EY has found that only 5% of FTSE 100 companies have disclosed “credible” and sufficiently detailed transition plans to become net zero by 2050....more

UK Government Outlines Details of New Failure to Prevent Fraud Offence

On 11 April 2023, the UK Government announced that it has introduced a new “failure to prevent fraud” offence by way of an amendment to its draft Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (the “Economic Crime Bill”)....more

FCA Delays Introduction of Sustainability Disclosure Requirements

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced that its widely-anticipated Policy Statement in response to the Sustainable Disclosure Requirements (SDRs) and investment labels consultation will now be published in Q3...more

Canada’s Proposed Green Taxonomy Framework Follows Global Trends, With Some Notable Differences

Last month, Canada’s Department of Finance published the Sustainable Finance Action Council (SFAC) recommendations for the development of a green taxonomy for sustainable investment, as the country moves toward its goal of...more

International Accounting Standards Board to Explore Improvements to Climate-Related Disclosure in Financial Statements

On March 23, 2023, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) commenced a new “maintenance” project to “explore whether and how financial statements can better communicate information about climate-related risks.”...more

EU Aims to Reduce Net Emissions and Protect Biodiversity through Adoption of Carbon Sinks Goal

On March 14, 2023, the European Parliament gave its final approval for member nations to implement stricter national targets relating to emissions reduction and the protection and expansion of CO2-absorbing natural ecosystems...more

UK Updates Its Green Finance Strategy and Launches ESG Ratings Regulation Consultation

On March 30, 2023, the UK government announced the publication of its 2023 green finance strategy, updating its earlier 2019 strategy, which is intended to mitigate climate-related risk and damage while increasing the amount...more

Nuclear Power Classified as Environmentally Sustainable in UK's Green Taxonomy

On March 15, 2023, the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, announced that nuclear power will be classified as “environmentally sustainable” in UK’s green taxonomy, “giving it access to the same investment...more

Malaysian Stock Exchange to Launch ESG-Reporting Platform

On March 22, 2023, Malaysian stock exchange Bursa Malaysia and the London Stock Exchange Group announced the development of a centralized ESG-reporting platform (Platform), due to launch in April 2023. The Platform has been...more

EC Proposal to Reform EU Electricity Market Underscores Capital Needs

On March 14, the European Commission (EC) announced a proposal to “revise the rules for electricity market design and for improving the EU protection against market manipulation in the wholesale energy market.” The proposals...more

ShareAction Claims Asset Managers Lagging on Climate and Biodiversity

In a recent report, the UK-based NGO ShareAction claimed that “[t]he asset management industry needs to change urgently if it is to demonstrate proactive stewardship that safeguards against key social and environmental risks...more

“Car Wash” is no more but enforcement continues outside of Brazil’s borders

Overview - A recent spate of cases on both sides of the Atlantic in 2023 show that criminal enforcement and asset recovery proceedings stemming from the iconic Brazilian anti-corruption investigation, Operation “Car Wash”...more

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