“Net zero” is a topic as hot as the climate these days. With so much regulatory attention being placed on it, companies that do not communicate their net zero efforts appropriately or, worse, intentionally make false and...more
REGULATORY ISSUES & UPDATES - Recent Evolution of the European Regulatory Framework on Greenwashing - Two new Directives adopted by the EU in 2024—the "Empowering Consumers Directive" and the "Green Claims...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
Taxonomies will play a critical role in channelling investment towards sustainable activities. But while alignment between frameworks is critical , a one-size-fits-all approach can never be effective....more
REGULATORY ISSUES & UPDATES - Mandatory Climate Change Reporting Requirements Under the New European ESRS E1 - The implementation of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards poses risks for reporting companies,...more
In September, ahead of the Conservative party conference, Rishi Sunak announced a step back from the Government’s net zero policy and targets. This was followed up last week by the Government’s formal response to the Climate...more
The UK’s financial services regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has delayed the release of its policy statement setting out the final rules of the Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDRs), leaving asset...more
The risk of an accusation of “greenwashing” is now an important concern for many companies. Greenwashing is an ill-defined concept but, nevertheless, is increasingly a source of litigation and regulatory scrutiny – with more...more
On April 25, the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on ESG (APPG) published a report on environmental, social and governance issues. All-Party Parliamentary Groups are informal groups of Members of the House of Commons and...more
The UK government (the “Government”) has long spoken of its commitment to tackling greenwashing and creating the world’s first net-zero emissions financial centre. Read more about this in our client alert on the “Green...more
The government published a new document outlining its existing and proposed objectives to develop the UK’s sustainable economy. On 30 March 2023, the UK government published an updated version of its Green Finance...more
The final report of the independent review of net zero has been published: "Mission Zero: Independent Review of Net Zero". The review was established in September 2022 to assess the government's approach to achieving its...more
The outcome of the review may signal what climate-related laws and policies to expect in the UK in the coming years. On 8 September 2022, newly appointed UK Prime Minister Liz Truss announced that Chris Skidmore MP, a...more
The Claims Code seeks to ensure the integrity of voluntary carbon markets to support achievement of the Paris Agreement goals. The Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity (VCMI) Initiative is “a multi-stakeholder platform to...more
HM Treasury’s Transition Plan Taskforce aims to influence international standard setting and make the UK the world’s first net zero-aligned financial centre. On 25 April 2022, HM Treasury (HMT) announced the launch of...more
Truly Green? CMA Continues to Evolve Guidance and Metrics for Companies’ Environmental Claims - The Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA’s) Green Claims Code (the Code) and final guidance (the Guidance) on...more
The package focuses on material sustainability reporting and disclosure obligations, as the EU looks to direct capital toward sustainable activities. On 21 April 2021, one day prior to Earth Day and a US-led global...more
There is no doubt that COVID-19 and its impacts are forcing society and governments around the world to reassess their priorities. Society more than ever values sustainability and, as we exit from COVID-19, there is growing...more