On July 4, 2024, the UK general election took place, and the Labour Party won with a significant majority. After 14 years of Conservative Party rule, a number of changes are now expected in respect of the UK's position on...more
Good morning! This is Akin’s newsletter on climate change policy and regulatory developments, providing information on major climate policy headlines from the past week and forthcoming climate-related events and hearings...more
On July 10, 2024, a Baltimore City Circuit Court judge dismissed a complaint brought by the City of Baltimore against 25 fossil fuel manufacturers, seeking to hold them liable on numerous state-law theories, including for...more
On July 17, 2024, Pennsylvania joined a growing number of states establishing a legal framework for the underground storage of carbon dioxide. Carbon capture and underground sequestration (“CCUS”) is promoted as a technology...more
A couple of weeks ago, a lawsuit brought by the State of Connecticut against a major fossil fuel company, alleging various violations of the consumer protection laws in Connecticut (specifically, the Connecticut Unfair Trade...more
Stretching the Truth? Class Action Targeting Lululemon Claims Athleisure Brand "Greenwashing" Its Environmental Impact - Claims of greenwashing in the ESG space continue: A Florida class action lawsuit alleges that...more
About a month ago, one of the myriad climate change tort lawsuits brought by state and local governments against major fossil fuel producers was dismissed by a state court judge in Baltimore, Maryland. (These lawsuits have...more
The launch of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (the Kingdom) Vision 2030 Program preceded the announcement of numerous ground-breaking Mega and Giga-projects throughout the country. Eight years on, recent MEED data estimates...more
After two years of continuous behind-the-scenes work, Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va), who chairs the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, joined by Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), released S. 4753, the Energy...more
In this Alert, we review the impact of the recent acceptance by the Japan Diet of the 2009 Amendment to the London Protocol. Acceptance of the Amendment provides a critical enabler for the export of CO2 from Japan for...more
The last several weeks of unexpected and unprecedented political events have thrown even more confusion into the presidential election. While the outcome of a now Harris-versus-Trump race is maybe even more uncertain, we do...more
Regulatory Updates - Governor Newsom (D-CA) recently proposed a two-year delay to California’s sweeping new mandatory climate disclosures, which apply to all large companies—public or private—doing business in California....more
In City of Baltimore v. BP, et al., court holds that nuisance and tort claims are preempted by federal law and beyond the limits of state law....more
On July 1, 2024, Vermont’s Climate Superfund Act (S 259) went into effect. The law, which is the first of its kind, imposes strict liability on fossil fuel extractors and crude oil refiners who are accountable for 1 billion...more
Puerto Rico has become the latest governmental entity to launch a lawsuit against the major fossil fuel companies concerning tort claims related to climate change. These lawsuits have proliferated in state courts in recent...more
Good afternoon! This is Akin’s newsletter on climate change policy and regulatory developments, providing information on major climate policy headlines from the past week and forthcoming climate-related events and hearings...more
In a highly anticipated judgment, a 3:2 majority of the UK Supreme Court ruled in R (Finch) v Surrey County Council and others [2024] UKSC 20 that environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for fossil-fuel projects must include...more
States are increasingly holding the fossil fuel sector liable for costs related to climate change. Our Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources Group unpacks what companies need to know about these new state “superfund”...more
Our national climate goals of net zero emissions, renewable energy transition, electrified vehicle fleets, clean steel, green hydrogen, and the rest of the package focus on the ramp-up of clean energy sources and end uses. As...more
The ACOEL webpage “About Us” states that we are to be “Advocates for environmental law and process for a better environmental future.” Allow me to throw down this gauntlet to Members: What “better environmental future” is the...more
Finch v. Surrey calls for assessment of all likely direct and indirect environmental effects in EIAs, including certain Scope 3 emissions if a reasonable estimate is feasible. On 20 June 2024, the UK Supreme Court (the...more
In a potentially significant development that may impact the economics of aviation, the California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) is proposing a policy, as we previewed in January 2024, to update the state’s Low Carbon Fuel...more
We are pleased to announce the release of our latest whitepaper, Fueling Up: How to Make U.S. Clean Hydrogen Projects Happen. This comprehensive report explores the critical steps needed to unlock the potential of clean...more
On 20 June 2024 the UK Supreme Court issued its long awaited decision in R (on the application of Finch on behalf of the Weald Action Group) (Appellant) v Surrey County Council and others (Respondents) [2024] UKSC 20...more