Commercial risks to businesses can no longer be neatly divided into financial and non-financial considerations. For example, there is growing recognition, particularly in the pensions sector, that a failure to take account...more
The Paris Climate Agreement (Agreement) officially enters into force today, 30 days after it was ratified by at least 55 Parties to the Convention, representing at least an estimated 55% per cent of the total global...more
Unprecedented globalisation, coupled with significant concerns around climate change, has taken environmental and social responsibility from a voluntary concept to something more obligatory and enforceable. Consequently,...more
Prior to the G20 Leaders’ Summit on 4 September, China and the US ratified the Paris Climate Agreement during a ceremony in Hangzhou, China. This commitment from the world’s largest carbon dioxide emitters is expected to...more
China has become the world’s largest green bond market, with green bonds issued in the first half of 2016 reaching 75 billion yuan (US$11 billion), 33% of the world total. This figure is approximately two percent of the total...more
While the overwhelming majority of the UK’s environmental legislation is derived from EU legislation and UK climate change and energy policy is largely influenced by the EU, surprisingly, environment and energy has been the...more
Following the recent UK referendum result, attention is now turning to the legal implications for specific policy areas.
While the overwhelming majority of the UK’s environmental legislation is derived from EU...more
7/21/2016
/ Climate Change ,
EFTA ,
Emissions Trading System ,
Energy Market ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
EU Single Market ,
Permits ,
Pollution Control ,
Renewable Energy ,
UK ,
UK Brexit ,
UNFCCC
At the China-US Climate-Smart / Low Carbon Cities Summit held in Beijing on June 7 and 8, 2016 the world’s two largest carbon dioxide emitters announced expanded co-operation in their efforts to counter climate...more
Green bonds, which tie the proceeds of the issuance to investments that have positive environmental and/or climate benefits, are a rapidly growing asset class. Recent figures have corroborated the narrative of growth...more
Climate Change Further Threatens MENA Water Security -
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is home to 14 of the 33 most water scarce countries globally, with six times less water availability than the worldwide...more
China has made notable strides to transition towards a lower-carbon economy. Most recently, local authorities were ordered to halt construction of coal-fired power plants in 13 provinces where capacity already outstrips...more
China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration (NEA) have ordered local authorities to stop construction of coal-fired power plants in 13 provinces where capacity already...more
China, along with leaders from more than 150 countries, signed the Paris Climate Change Agreement in New York on April 22, 2016.
New York Signing Update -
Following final negotiation on December 12, 2015, April 22,...more
In December 2015, world leaders met to negotiate the Paris Agreement. Setting aside whether the Paris Agreement goes too far, not far enough or is just right, one cannot dispute that government commitments to limit an...more
4/20/2016
/ China ,
Climate Change ,
Emissions Trading System ,
Energy Market ,
EU ,
Financial Markets ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Paris Agreement ,
Popular ,
Private Equity ,
Socially Responsible Investments ,
UK ,
World Bank
The Paris Agreement, adopted by 195 countries following the 21st session of the Conference of Parties (COP 21), is the first multilateral agreement on climate change that covers almost all of the world’s emissions. The Paris...more
4/18/2016
/ China ,
Climate Change ,
Emissions Trading System ,
Energy Efficiency ,
Energy Policy ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) ,
Investors ,
Paris Agreement ,
Popular ,
Renewable Energy
China’s 13th Five-Year Plan – Planning for a Greener Economy -
Last month China’s thirteenth “Five-Year Plan” (FYP13) was approved, setting out a social and economic development blueprint for the country for the next...more
4/14/2016
/ China ,
Climate Change ,
Emissions Trading System ,
Green Bonds ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) ,
Paris Agreement ,
Popular ,
Renewable Energy ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Shanghai Stock Exchange ,
Solar Energy ,
Subsidies ,
Transportation Industry ,
Wind Power
China launched a green bond pilot initiative via the Shanghai Stock Exchange, encouraging further foreign investment in a rapidly growing asset class and paving the way for issuances by non-financial institutions....more
4/6/2016
/ Bonds ,
Capital Markets ,
China ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Issuers ,
Financial Institutions ,
Foreign Investment ,
Green Bonds ,
Renewable Energy ,
Shanghai Stock Exchange ,
Sustainability
It has been announced in today’s Budget that the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC) will be abolished from 2019 and the Climate Change Levy (CCL) will be raised to compensate.
The announcement comes following a...more
6 Answers From Around the Globe -
The historic COP-21 Paris Agreement on climate change is the first major development in the climate area at the international level since adoption of the Kyoto Protocol in...more
2/2/2016
/ China ,
Climate Change ,
Emissions Trading System ,
EU ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) ,
Investors ,
Paris Agreement ,
Renewable Energy ,
Spain ,
UK