Sustainable finance is the practice of redirecting public and private capital towards investments that support ESG goals and outcomes. The market dynamics of sustainable finance are driven by the need for enormous investments...more
The rapid growth of ESG and sustainable finance in the GCC region offers substantial opportunities, but also entails significant associated risks.
Introduction -
The Gulf Cooperation Council1 region (GCC Region) is...more
The Plan aims to “simplify, accelerate and align incentives to preserve the competitiveness and attractiveness of the EU as an investment location for the net-zero industry”.
On 1 February 2023, the European Commission...more
2/10/2023
/ Climate Change ,
Electricity ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Industrial Space ,
Manufacturers ,
Net Zero ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Supply Chain
The Framework looks to guide global action on biodiversity, ecosystems, and other aspects of natural capital through 2030 and beyond.
Key Points:
..The Global Biodiversity Framework adopted at COP15 to the Convention on...more
On January 4, 2023, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs released the Fall 2022 Regulatory Flexibility Agenda. The agenda includes several updates to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s plans for...more
Navigating a global patchwork of ESG regulation and enforcement while preparing for greenwashing claims and other ESG litigation will likely be among the main concerns for companies in 2023.
Both anticipated and less...more
1/6/2023
/ Board of Directors ,
C-Suite Executives ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Global Economy ,
Global Market ,
Greenwashing ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Shareholder Activism ,
Supply Chain ,
UK ,
Wage and Hour
Latham lawyers highlight key takeaways and developments in the sustainability space from the second half of the year.
...more
12/22/2022
/ Antitrust Provisions ,
Climate Change ,
Consultation ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) ,
Forced Labor ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Investment Funds ,
Sustainability
The CBAM would seek to mitigate carbon leakage through the imposition of a levy on carbon-intensive imports into the EU, while free allowances under EU ETS would be phased out.
On 13 December 2022, negotiators from the...more
Establishment of the loss and damage fund and development in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement were among the major developments in this year’s conference.
On November 20, 2022, the 27th annual Conference of Parties...more
12/9/2022
/ Africa ,
Asia ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Climate Change ,
COP ,
Environmental Policies ,
Forestry ,
Funding ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
John Kerry ,
Paris Agreement ,
Saudi Arabia ,
Sustainability ,
UNFCCC ,
United Nations
The third version introduces several new disclosure recommendations ahead of what is supposed to be a “Paris moment” for biodiversity in Montreal.
As environmental ambitions continue to grow, much attention has focused on...more
Extensive negotiations focused on finalizing the details of a “rulebook” for an international carbon market under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
The 27th annual Conference of Parties (COP27) of the United Nations...more
11/17/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Climate Change ,
COP ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
John Kerry ,
Methane ,
Paris Agreement ,
Renewable Energy ,
UNFCCC ,
United Nations
TPT’s proposed best practice includes four elements for effective disclosure of transition plans, aligned with GFANZ’s and the ISSB’s disclosure recommendations.
On 8 November 2022, the UK’s Transition Plan Taskforce...more
The Final Report recommends five themes that financial institutions should incorporate into their net zero transition strategies.
On 1 November 2022, the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) issued its Final...more
Hong Kong’s Core Climate aims to facilitate trading of carbon credits, while the Hub plans to expedite Singapore’s ESG ecosystem growth.
On 28 October 2022, the Hong Kong Exchange and Clearing Limited (HKEX) launched Core...more
11/8/2022
/ Carbon Off-Set Credits ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
FinTech ,
Hong Kong ,
Hong Kong Stock Exchange ,
Singapore ,
Stock Exchange ,
Trading Platforms
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
9/27/2022
/ Climate Change ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Emissions Trading System ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU Directive ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Net Zero ,
SFDR ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
UK
The call highlights the challenges in developing alignment between global ESG reporting standards.
The European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), two of the world’s leading public financial...more
8/22/2022
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Central Bank ,
IFRS ,
IMF ,
International Regulatory Standards ,
Net Zero ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Sustainable Finance ,
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
Companies should be prepared for increasing demand to factor ESG into their value chains as well as new mandates from government authorities.
Latham & Watkins is pleased to introduce a series of Clients Alerts on ESG and...more
6/28/2022
/ Climate Change ,
Compliance ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Human Rights ,
International Trade ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
UK
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
The move follows a number of similar standards that regulators and governments across the globe have proposed. With effect from 1 June 2022, the Guidance for Enterprise ESG Disclosure (the Guidance), published by...more
6/16/2022
/ Accounting Standards ,
China ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
New Guidance ,
SASB ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
The consultations invite stakeholders’ views on the Environmental Liability Directive and the Waste Framework Directive.
In May 2022, the European Commission (Commission) issued public consultations in relation to the...more
The proposed taxonomy for green and transition activities is aligned with increasing global demand for clear and consistent classification of sustainable finance activities.
In May 2022, the Green Finance Industry...more
The two new bodies are expected to help harmonise standards in different jurisdictions to meet investor demand for comparable ESG information.
On 27 April 2022, the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)...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
What the proposed rule would mean for registrants and their filings with the SEC.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission’s proposed climate disclosure rule, approved by a 3–1 vote on March 21, 2022, is the agency’s...more
4/6/2022
/ Business Strategies ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
New Rules ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Regulation S-K ,
Regulation S-X ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Risk Assessment ,
Risk Management ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation
The proposed rules would require significant, detailed new climate-related disclosures in annual reports and prospectuses.
On March 21, 2022, by a 3-1 vote, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC or the...more