EaasGlobal’s Post

The landscape of climate litigation is evolving, with strategic cases focusing on high-impact areas and significant international court decisions shaping domestic policies. Corporate accountability for climate impacts is a growing trend, with successful climate-washing and polluter pays cases. However, backlash and just transition cases highlight ongoing challenges in achieving equitable and effective climate action. #ClimateLitigation #CorporateAccountability #EnvironmentalJustice #ClimateActionNow

Businesses are key to achieving decarbonisation goals. It is essential to establish a robust governance system with clear, measurable objectives and commitment at all levels. Last week, the IE Law School presented the applied academic report “Corporate Climate Governance and the road to Net Zero: relevance, challenges, and impact in practice.” This study addresses the urgent challenge of climate change, highlighting the crucial role of energy sector companies in mitigating environmental impact and achieving carbon neutrality. It analyses climate governance models in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Spain, and through a comparative law approach, underscores the importance of the private sector in climate action. Acknowledgements: Paloma Baena Olabe, Macarena Plaza Vela, Fabio Almeida for their research, and the entire A&O Shearman team led by Mónica R., Reka Palla, and Alvaro Sánchez-Bordona Benardelli, who have worked tirelessly for months to achieve this result. Thank you also to our ponents Paloma Durán y Lalaguna, Victor Viñuales, Jorge Viñuelas González, and to Soledad Atienza Becerril IE Law School Dean. Link to full study 👉🏻https://lnkd.in/dXtvJTt7 #iechainofchange #fosteringpositivechange

Such an inspiring, thought provoking and joyful day at the Law and Climate Change Summit exploring the dynamic intersection of law and climate change! Yes, there is a rough and urgent road ahead to adapt to climate change and avoid the catastrophic consequences, but the overall take away from the day is nevertheless a positive one.    One of all the stellar speakers, Formas Director General Johan L Kuylenstierna, even pointed out that, in his 30 plus years climate-focused career, he has never been more optimistic. The main reason is the game changer that the corporate sector has embraced the climate agenda, and that the debate has changed from a burden focus to a focus on opportunities and benefits from the climate transformation. It’s now an engine in a growing economy and a potential driver for growth and investments in the future. Technology developments are creating a pathway to new solutions, to mention one example of many the use of solar energy has exceeded any predictions by far. But it’s of course necessary to have the law to serve as an enhancement and facilitate for both public and private actors to take action. It needs to be involved in legal practice, in due diligence and transactions, in dispute resolutions and court rooms and in setting the legal framework to shape and dictate climate targets and investments. Climate-related disputes are now happening on many levels such as civil society claims against states, investor claims against states, claims against corporations as well as disputes between corporations. There is also an evolving concept of “climate conscious lawyering” and the question of lawyers having an obligation to integrate climate advise in their work. The key is to create persuasive tools by building on “fear and greed”, as barrister and Net Zero Lawyers Alliance spokesperson Wendy Miles KC formulated it. To summarize the day, the two most used words were “urgency” and “opportunity”. A report from the day will be up on Virtual Intelligence VQ AB’s page within a few days!   Thank you so much Climate Change Counsel (Annette Magnusson and Anja Ipp) and JP Infonet Förlag (Kajsa Palmberg, Johan Tärnstedt, Ylva Gnosse and all your colleagues) for the excellent arrangements and content, and all fellow delegates (e.g. Anna Lensmar-Friedman and Mikael Linton-Wahlgren includd in the photo together with Annette Magnusson and VQ founder Helena Hallgarn), for a truly inspiring day!

There’s an interesting phenomenon taking place in sustainability: The battleground over climate transition plans is moving from lobbying management and shareholder meetings to legal courts and the legislative lobby. The legal battle is playing out in places like Texas, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, where courts are now ruling on matters that might otherwise be put in front of company general meetings, management, or boards. Meanwhile, trade lobbying of lawmakers is faced with increased scrutiny from NGOs and activists, which target trade associations over their conservative climate lobbying. Read more in #TheImpactReport: https://lnkd.in/g3pzfmFZ

🔍What do you think of when you hear “due diligence”?🔎 💡 You might have heard of due diligence as part of an M&A transaction. But have you heard of supply chain or human rights due diligence? 📌In May this year, the EU Parliament approved the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. 📌This will introduce wide-ranging obligations for companies to conduct due diligence on their supply chains to identify adverse human rights and environmental impacts. 📚 If you want to learn more about this new piece of regulation, join us on 17 July 2024 for our next Knowledge Session - sign up link is in the comments below! 👉During our knowledge session, Jon Tan 陈文聪 will be joined by Joana Setzer, associate professor at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, who focuses on climate litigation, to discuss the impact of this new regulation on companies. Ming Zee Tee Sarah Hill-Smith Flora Curtis Yomna Elewa Marina Soares Riley Forson Dominika Leitane Emma Short Harriet Hall Catríona Campbell #climatechange #legalvoicesforthefuture #lawyers #humanrights

The EU says NO to big corporate polluters’ impunity and YES to corporate justice. After appeals from hundreds of civil society organisations, human rights experts, scientists and companies, the EU officially approved the long-awaited due diligence law for corporate sustainability (#CSDDD). This new law can help ensure more sustainable and responsible corporate behaviour throughout global value chains. Getting the #CSDDD over the line came at a cost. Lawmakers: - weakened rules on the downstream value chain for the financial sector, - limited the scope of companies covered to only those with 1000+ employees and a net worldwide turnover of more than €450 million , - removed obligations to address consumption and disposal as part of the downstream value chain, - excluded the Paris Agreement from due diligence obligations. But EU countries still have the opportunity to fill these gaps and set stricter requirements when turning the CSDDD into national law. They have 3 years to do so. If we want to reach our climate targets, we need strong laws on nature and corporate responsibility, and we need decision-makers to enforce them. #clientearth #climate

👨⚖️ "The recent boom of corporate climate claims has caused an increase in related judiciary cases across Europe, due to a legislative gap in EU law", writes Associate Policy Analyst Lucian Morié this week. Solutions presented by European courts for the substantiation and communication of climate claims should inspire EU co-legislators as they design harmonised rules to bridge this legislative gap. Read more here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eXksuYgP #ClimateClaims #EULaw #NetZero

Yesterday, ambassadors of EU Member States finally voted to support the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) 👏 👏 👏 CSDDD would require companies to identify and assess environmental harms and human rights violations across their value chains, and to take action to prevent and eliminate them. The vote today by the Permanent Representatives of the governments of Member States (COREPER) will now be followed by a vote in the European Parliament’s JURI Committee on 19 March. The European Parliament plenary vote on the preliminary agreement will then take place the week of the 25th of April. #IntegrityNext #supplychainsustainability

BREAKING⚠️: The EU says NO to big corporate polluters’ impunity and YES to corporate justice. After appeals from hundreds of civil society organisations, human rights experts, scientists and companies, the EU officially approved the long-awaited due diligence law for corporate sustainability (#CSDDD). This new law can help ensure more sustainable and responsible corporate behaviour throughout global value chains. Getting the #CSDDD over the line came at a cost. Lawmakers: - weakened rules on the downstream value chain for the financial sector, - limited the scope of companies covered to only those with 1000+ employees and a net worldwide turnover of more than €450 million , - removed obligations to address consumption and disposal as part of the downstream value chain, - excluded the Paris Agreement from due diligence obligations. But EU countries still have the opportunity to fill these gaps and set stricter requirements when turning the CSDDD into national law. They have 3 years to do so. If we want to reach our climate targets, we need strong laws on nature and corporate responsibility, and we need decision-makers to enforce them. Either we continue with business as usual, or we embed people's health, the climate and the environment in EU decision-making. The next elections will determine which path we take. 🔍Do you want to know more about the CSDDD? We will be publishing an in-depth analysis of the environmental and climate dimension of the directive, stay tuned for more.

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