On 23 April 2024, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA“) published its “Finalised non‑handbook guidance on the Anti‑Greenwashing Rule (FG/24/3)” (the “Guidance“). The FCA has published the Guidance to help in-scope firms understand and comply with the anti-greenwashing rule, which will come into effect on 31 May 2024.Continue Reading UK Financial Conduct Authority publishes finalised guidance on its Anti-Greenwashing rule
Environmental
Seas the Future: Singapore’s Visionary Leap into Oceanic Carbon Capture
Replace, Reduce and Remove.
The 3Rs that constitute the three-pronged approach espoused by PUB, the national water agency of Singapore, in its hefty goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2045. The strategy by PUB focuses on replacing fossil fuels with renewable solar energy, investing in research and development to reduce the energy required in…
CONSULTATION ON UK CARBON BORDER ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM (“CBAM”)
The UK Government launched a Consultation on the introduction of a UK CBAM on 21 March 2024. The Consultation closes on 13 June 2024. This follows the announcement, in December 2023, that the UK would implement a UK CBAM similar to the EU CBAM which came into effect on 1 October 2023.
In this update…
DEFORESTATION REGULATION: IMPACTS OF A POSSIBLE DELAY IN RISK CLASSIFICATION OF COUNTRIES AND OTHER RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
On 9 June 2023, the European Union published Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 on the making available on the Union market and the export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation (the “Deforestation Regulation” or the “EUDR”). The EUDR entered into force on 29 June 2023, although the main prohibitions…
QUICK REFERENCE CHART ON KEY GLOBAL CLIMATE-RELATED DISCLOSURE RULES
Climate disclosure regulations are among the most significant and complex challenges faced by companies and boards, with a variety of requirements emanating from numerous governmental authorities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in recent years. Mayer Brown lawyers from around the world produced a White Paper on Global Climate Change Disclosure Initiatives and Board Corporate Governance Considerations…
GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE DISCLOSURE INITIATIVES AND BOARD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE CONSIDERATIONS
Climate disclosure regulations are among the most significant and complex challenges faced by companies and boards, with a variety of requirements emanating this past year from numerous governmental authorities and non-governmental organizations. This white paper—an expanded version of a white paper we published in January—discusses key features and differences of a dozen authorities, followed by…
A DEEP DIVE INTO BLUE FINANCING
Although Environmental, Social and Governance-related (“ESG”) initiatives continue to face some political headwinds, and the ESG-linked debt market suffered a downturn in 2023, a nascent product type is piquing the interest of certain players in the sustainable debt space. Several debtors have entered the so-called blue financing space in an effort to…
Climate-Risk Disclosure Rules
The Securities and Exchange Commission adopted (in a 3-2 vote) final rules related to climate-related disclosures. These rules had first been proposed in March 2022. In his opening remarks, SEC Chair Gensler noted that the climate-change related disclosure rules will apply to public companies and to public offerings, and are intended to benefit investors by…
NGO successfully challenges planning inspectors’ report on energy performance standards
The recent decision (20 February 2024) of the High Court in R (Rights Community Action) v Secretary of State is a rare example of an NGO succeeding in a climate change legal action under English law. In the case, Rights Community Action persuaded the High Court to overturn a finding by the Secretary of State’s Planning Inspectors that a local authority’s “net zero” policy was unlawful.Continue Reading NGO successfully challenges planning inspectors’ report on energy performance standards
LAWSUIT CHALLENGES RECENT CALIFORNIA CLIMATE DISCLOSURE LAWS
A new lawsuit filed by several business interest groups seeks to overturn two recent California laws relating to emissions disclosures (SB253) and climate-related financial risk disclosures (SB261), which would require thousands of covered companies to begin making disclosures as early as 2026. This Legal Update addresses the main arguments of the lawsuit, the initial reaction…