The European Commission alleges that Portugal has failed to properly assess plans and projects that may have a significant impact on Natura 2000 sites, as required by the Habitats Directive.
The European commission says it will create a “coherent and simplified regulatory framework” that rewards circular and sustainable business models – with faster approvals for companies offering innovative solutions.
The Canadian government has confirmed it will abandon its planned oil and gas emissions cap and roll back anti-greenwashing provisions, as part of its 2025 budget and new “climate competitiveness strategy”.
The European Banking Authority (EBA) has finalised its guidelines on environmental scenario analysis, outlining how EU banks should assess and manage environmental risks.
‘Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security’ sets out how Natural England will move beyond protection to systemic, large-scale recovery of nature.
Sixteen state attorneys general have written to Amazon, Meta, Microsoft and Google, alleging ‘environmental accounting gimmicks’ relating to the companies’ claims that they are 100% powered by renewable energy.
The Center for Biological Diversity has launched a lawsuit to compel the US Department of Agriculture to disclose public records relating to the cancellation of funding for socially disadvantaged and marginalised farmers.
Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, says “Conservatives want to leave a cleaner environment for our children, but not by bankrupting the country.”
“We are firmly on track to meet our 2030 target to cut emissions by 55% and ahead of COP30 in Belem we will set NDC targets for 2035 and 2040,” said Ursula von der Leyen.
Brazil will propose the creation of a forum to address how climate policy intersects with trade, two officials familiar with the plan told Reuters, with the goal of launching it at COP30 in November.
More than 260 European business scholars argue in the Copenhagen Declaration that the EU’s push to simplify regulations risks weakening key sustainability frameworks.
The European Union has launched three public consultations on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, inviting feedback on its proposals for the carbon price paid in a third country, certificates and methodology for 2026.
The Net-Zero Banking Alliance will vote on moving from a membership-based alliance to a new framework initiative – after increased scrutiny in the US of ESG activities led to a wave of banks withdrawing from the group.
At the 25th Franco-German Council of Ministers, the French president and German chancellor committed to greater cooperation on cross-border energy market integration and CBAM reform – and called for a widening of the definition of small mid cap companies.
Six farmers have filed a lawsuit against the state-owned Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), seeking financial compensation for alleged climate-related damages.
The Fraser Institute argues in ‘A Lawsuit Waiting to Happen’ that ESG ratings are ‘low validity’ because they vary widely from one rating agency to another.
On the heels of Lighthiser v Trump, Jeff Merkley and eight other senators have introduced a resolution “to protect the fundamental rights of the nation’s children to a safe, habitable environment in the face of climate chaos”.
Norway has submitted its updated nationally determined contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70–75% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels.
“Every court to have considered a challenge to one of these orders has found grave constitutional violations and permanently enjoined enforcement of the order”, says judge as she follows suit and grants permanent injunctive relief to the law firm.
The Swiss Federal Council is waiting for clarity from the EU on its Omnibus Simplification Package so it can properly align its updated reporting standards with CSRD.
Among other significant proposals, the European Council says CSDDD thresholds should be increased to 5,000 employees and a €1.5 billion net turnover – and that the focus should change from an entity-based approach to a risk-based approach.
A new report by CETEx and the Grantham Research Institute warns that climate-related litigation poses growing financial risks to banks, both directly and through exposure to clients facing legal action.
A team of University of Oxford-led researchers has published a set of principles which, it says, will enable countries and business entities to meaningfully engage with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
A report by the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre claims that clothing retailers are driving rapid decarbonisation but excluding workers from participating in the transition.
The European Parliament has published draft proposals to raise thresholds for corporate sustainability directives to €450 million in turnover and 3,000 employees.
The European Commission says that the single reference framework, which includes a forthcoming ‘Ocean Act’ for 2027, is “a comprehensive approach that builds upon existing laws and initiatives.”
Norges Bank Investment Management, which manages Norway’s US$1.8 trillion Government Pension Fund Global – the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund – has released its 2025 Climate Action Plan.
The European Banking Authority proposes a “proportionate ESG disclosure framework aligned with the European Commission’s initiative to simplify sustainability reporting.”
The commission says it has adopted an act listing net-zero technology final products and their main specific components – as well as introducing new rules for non-price criteria in member state auctions for renewable energy deployment and public procurement.
“Getting to Net Zero by 2045 will require immediate action,” the Climate Change Committee says as it recommends a 57% emissions reduction over the next five years.
A study shows that up to 85% of European insurers covered by the CSRD may be excluded from reporting obligations under the EU’s Omnibus simplification measures.
The consultation paper sets out the Prudential Regulatory Authority’s (PRA) proposals on updated supervisory expectations for banks and insurers to help them manage the effects of climate change on their businesses.
A leaked document from the ECON committee suggests a 3,000-employee threshold and €450 million global turnover for in-scope companies – and to remove the need for companies to adopt a transition plan.
The authors compared several nations and identified four predictors with consistent positive effects: environmentalist identity, trust in climate science, internal environmental motivation and the UN’s Human Development Index.
Twenty-four US states have joined the American Petroleum Institute and the US Chamber of Commerce in their lawsuit against Vermont’s climate superfund law.
The hosts say it is the “world’s largest-ever gathering” on biodiversity funding, as 130 countries attended the 6th edition of the Global Conference on Biodiversity Finance in Santiago.
India's Department of Economic Affairs says the proposed taxonomy will "facilitate greater resource flow to climate-friendly technologies and activities, enabling India to achieve the vision of being Net Zero by 2070".
The decision follows mounting pressure from Congress and a lawsuit brought by 17 US states to prevent California from introducing stringent emissions rules for automotives.
The European Commission announced on 2 May a call for evidence to help it carry out an impact assessment of the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosures Regulation (SFDR).
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) launched a Consultation Paper on draft Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS) under the ESG Rating Regulation on 2 May.
The groups are seeking an opinion on states’ human rights obligations in the context of climate change from the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The lawsuit was originally filed in July 2024 in the Court of First Instance of San Juan and sought US$1 billion in damages from several energy companies.
Thirty-eight Republican members of Congress have signed a letter which argues that the US Inflation Reduction Act and its green energy subsidies will cost taxpayers approximately US$1 trillion over the next decade.
The Canadian government says the charges were brought against the steel and mining company following investigations into alleged deposits of toxic substances into fish-bearing waterways.
The US House of Representatives voted on 30 April to rescind waivers granted to California by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which enabled the state to demand that manufacturers produce an increasing number of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles.
The bank blames both its reporting methodology and amendments to prevent greenwashing in Canada’s Competition Act for terminating its C$500 billion sustainable finance goal.
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority says that while there is broad support for extending its sustainability disclosure requirements (SDR) to portfolio managers, it wants to “take time to carefully consider the challenges”.
The US agency confirms it has cancelled hundreds of grants given under the Inflation Reduction Act which do not align with the Trump administration’s policies.
“It is here in Asia, the driving engine of global economic growth and also the region most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, that the battle for net zero will ultimately be won or lost,” says the HKMA.
The US state has introduced a bill to enact a superfund that aims to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for the financial impacts of climate change.
The US’s third-largest retirement fund has announced it has allocated an additional US$2.4 billion to three funds as part of its Sustainable Investments and Climate Solutions (SICS) Program.
A group of NGOS led by ClientEarth has challenged the decision-making process behind the EU’s Omnibus Simplification Package, calling it “undemocratic, untransparent and rushed”.
“We argue that the scientific case for climate liability is closed,” say the authors of a study that claims to use ‘end-to-end’ attribution to allocate specific economic costs to individual energy companies via their contributions to climate change.
Ed Miliband, the UK’s secretary of state for energy and climate change, will introduce an amendment to ban any solar panels suspected of originating from the Xinjiang province of China.
In a lawsuit aimed at multiple government agencies, the university says “the government’s actions flout not just the first amendment, but also federal laws and regulations.”
The Net-Zero Banking Alliance has issued new guidelines that say its members should help aim to limit global temperature increases to “well-below 2°C, striving for 1.5°C”.
The study analysed 21 OECD countries which implemented carbon pricing policies between 1990 and 2022 and argues that a government’s position constitutes a decisive element for climate policy measures.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) organised climate litigation training in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on 11 April. “The training built the capacity of participants on avenues for legal action to address root causes of the climate emergency,” it said.
Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and A&O Shearman have entered into a settlement agreement with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) – and will provide a combined US$500 million in pro bono work to the US government.
The European Council has given the go-ahead to delay CSRD reporting by two years to 2028 and to push back the application of CSDDD by one year to July 2028.
The White House has issued an executive order to reinvigorate the US domestic coal industry - with the aim of providing sufficient electricity to meet the needs of a growing manufacturing base and a surge in AI data centres.
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC) came into force on 6 April giving the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) the power to fine companies up to 10% of global turnover.
In a letter, the Financial Services Committee says the SEC has “lost sight of its mission to protect investors; maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets; and facilitate capital formation.”
An experiment examined whether purchasing managers can reliably differentiate between greenwashed and certified sustainable products – and found that they could not.
The European Parliament has given the go-ahead to delay CSRD reporting by two years to 2028 and to push back the application of CSDDD by one year to July 2028. The proposal passed by 531 to 69, with 17 abstentions.
The law firm targeted in an executive order by President Trump on Friday has filed a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief. “The President’s sweeping attack on WilmerHale and other law firms is unprecedented and unconstitutional,” it says.
Regulatory Guide 280 provides guidance for entities that are required to prepare a sustainability report containing climate-related financial information under Chapter 2M of the Corporations Act 2001.
France has rejected US attempts to prevent DEI policies at French companies that operate in the US – whilst the US Federal Communications Commission has opened investigations into hiring practices at Disney and ABC.
The government-backed pioneering green finance standards were introduced on 25 March and are, the government says, the first standard for collective nature markets of its kind in the UK.
The document explains how entities should comply with section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, which requires large businesses to prepare an annual slavery and human trafficking statement.
Luxembourg’s National Commission for Data Protection (CNPD) said on 19 March that its administrative court had dismissed Amazon's appeal against a fine of €746 million.
The German government has proposed a debt-financed fund of €500 billion euros which will fund infrastructure, defence and progress towards climate neutrality. In doing so it suspended the ‘debt brake’ which limits government borrowing.
The European Commission announced on 19 March a white paper for European defence-readiness by 2030 and an action plan to efficiently decarbonise the steel and metals industry.
Three of the world’s largest investment managers asked a federal court on 17 March to throw out a lawsuit which alleges they are engaged in a conspiracy to manipulate energy prices.
ClientEarth has published an open letter, saying the Omnibus proposals send a “clear political signal” that the EU is deprioritising human rights and environmental protections.
Various amendments to the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) were proposed in the French parliament on 3 March, including the repeal of a directive transposing the CSRD into French law.
The European Union guidance, ‘Understanding your company position in beef, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy and wood supply chains’, aims to assist with implementation of the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR).
The European Court of Auditors (ECA) has released a report which says that the European Union has improved its regulations on pollution from ships – but significant implementation weaknesses mean that member states are failing to enforce them.
The National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) lost its anti-DEI shareholder vote on 25 February. The Apple board had previously advised shareholders to reject it.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) has announced that it has submitted comments to the International Criminal Court (ICC) after it launched a consultation in December 2024 to advance accountability for environmental crimes under the Rome Statute.
The SEC says that under its new framework “proposals that raise issues of social or ethical significance may be excludable, notwithstanding their importance in the abstract”.
The UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights has released a statement encouraging the European Union to ensure that any developments relating to the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive are in alignment with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
The UK published its 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) emissions reduction target on 30 January 2025. The submission provides “information to facilitate clarity, transparency and understanding” on the UK’s NDC target to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions by at least 81% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels.
Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) is arguing in the High Court this week that the government’s 2023 Climate Action Plan fails to outline sufficiently how emissions will be kept within Ireland’s legally binding carbon budgets.
In a letter addressed to UN climate change executive secretary Simon Stiell, the US Climate Alliance – a group of governors from 24 states and territories – has outlined its continued commitment to protect and advance climate action across America.
The European Commission is likely to propose a ban on so-called 'forever chemicals' -Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) - with exemptions for industrial use.
The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) has published a paper, Understanding the synergies between ESRS and EMAS, which aims to help entities that report under both the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) frameworks.
A wind farm was wrongly denied planning permission because the planning authority did not give due regard to the relevant provisions in Irish climate law, according to the decision in Coolglass Wind Farm v An Bord Pleanála.
The California Air Resources Board has announced the withdrawal of a number of clean air laws that it submitted for approval by the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on 14 January.
The Bank of Tanzania issued new guidelines on 10 January, under which financial institutions must integrate climate and sustainability risks into their governance and reporting frameworks.
The Belgian parliament formally adopted the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive on 28 November. The law will be published in the Belgian State Gazette before entering into force.
Science-Based Targets initiative has approved Kennedys’ plans to reduce the firm’s global Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 90% by FY2040, from a FY2020 base year.
BNP Paribas Asset Management announced its Future Forest Fund on 20 November. The fund will invest in sustainable forestry “to generate financial returns to...
More than 1,000 companies have referenced the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) in their reports and 30 jurisdictions are making progress towards introducing ISSB Standards in their legal or regulatory frameworks, the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation (IFRS) revealed in a survey published on 12 November.
The European Council has approved a regulation on that establishes the first EU-level certification framework for permanent carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products.
The International Platform on Sustainable Finance (IPSF) launched the multi-jurisdiction common ground taxonomy (M-CGT) on 14 November at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. The M-CGT compares...
Global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills and US east coast firm Kramer Levin announced their plans to merge on 11 November. The new firm will be named Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer.
Los Angeles County announced on 30 October that it has filed a lawsuit against PepsiCo and Coca-Cola over alleged misrepresentations relating to the effects...
The European Commission announced on 23 October that it has selected 85 Net Zero projects around the European Union to receive almost €5 billion of grants. The funding for the grants comes from the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme Innovation Fund.
For the 12th year in a row, Kirkland & Ellis sponsored GLAAD's annual Spirit Day, "the world’s largest and most visible campaign to accelerate acceptance of LGBTQ+ youth".
NW Natural, an Oregon-based utility company, has been added as a defendant in ongoing litigation against fossil fuel companies by Multnomah County, Oregon.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has taken action against the registration of 13 self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) auditors.
The regulatory body has disqualified...
The Dutch city became the world’s first to pass a law banning fossil fuel-related advertising in public spaces on 13 September.
The city council voted...
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published on 24 July its non-binding recommendations for the Sustainable Finance Regulatory Framework that – if taken...
This week sees the launch of the Environmental Alliance of America (or Alianza Ambiental de América – AAA), a voluntary regional food-labelling programme that...
A new report released by the Washington-based Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), “Making Plastic Polluters Pay: How Cities and States Can Recoup the...
On 18th July, five activists from UK-based environmental protest organisation Just Stop Oil were sentenced at London’s Southwark Crown Court for 4-5 years. These lengthy...
In last week’s King’s Speech, Britain’s new Labour government opened its legislative agenda with the announcement of 40 bills, a number of which included a...
