Since coming into power in July 2024, the UK government has made several planning policy decisions with the aim of facilitating data centre development....more
The owner of a property which enjoys a right of light over surrounding properties can seek to restrain development of the surrounding properties which would infringe that right. This can include seeking an injunction to...more
7/17/2025
/ Building Codes ,
Commercial Property Owners ,
Damages ,
Environmental Policies ,
Injunctions ,
Office Space ,
Property Ownership ,
Property Valuation ,
Real Estate Development ,
UK ,
Urban Planning & Development
Trump Paves Way for Coal Renaissance and Targets State Climate Change Efforts -
In early April, President Trump issued several presidential actions to revive the coal industry, including rolling back environmental...more
6/19/2025
/ Climate Action Plan ,
Climate Change ,
Congressional Review Act ,
Deregulation ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Projects ,
Environmental Litigation ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
Executive Orders ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Infrastructure ,
NEPA ,
Oil & Gas ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Trump Administration ,
UK ,
Zero-Emission Vehicles
April 2025 saw regulatory developments on vehicle emissions standards in both the European Union ("EU") and the United Kingdom ("UK"). These changes will be of significant interest to vehicle manufacturers, as well as users...more
6/17/2025
/ Automotive Industry ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Motor Vehicles ,
New Regulations ,
Proposed Amendments ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
UK
The UK's Climate Change Act 2008 requires the UK government to set five-year carbon budgets that cap total greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions. The UK is currently operating within its Fourth Carbon Budget, which covers the...more
6/16/2025
/ Aviation Industry ,
Carbon Capture and Sequestration ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Climate Change ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Energy Policy ,
Environmental Policies ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Infrastructure ,
Net Zero ,
Popular ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Renewable Energy ,
Shipping ,
UK
On December 18, 2024, the Advertising Standards Authority ("ASA"), the UK's regulator of advertising, issued a ruling against Lloyds Bank plc ("Lloyds") following a complaint by Adfree Cities, a network challenging corporate...more
3/24/2025
/ Advertising ,
Advertising Standards Authority ,
Banks ,
Climate Change ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
False Advertising ,
Financial Institutions ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Greenwashing ,
Lloyds Banking Group ,
Penalties ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Sustainability ,
UK
In December 2022, planning permission was granted by the secretary of state for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities ("SoS") to extract coal from a coal mine in Whitehaven, Cumbria, England. The project would have been the...more
On July 4, 2024, the UK general election took place, and the Labour Party won with a significant majority. After 14 years of Conservative Party rule, a number of changes are now expected in respect of the UK's position on...more
9/18/2024
/ Clean Energy ,
Climate Change ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Reform ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Green Energy ,
Green Finance ,
Net Zero ,
Oil & Gas ,
Popular ,
UK ,
Wind Power
The Situation: On June 20, 2024, the UK Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision in R (on the application of Finch on behalf of the Weald Action Group) (Appellant) v Surrey County Council and others (Respondents) [2024]...more
7/19/2024
/ Climate Change ,
Energy Projects ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Oil & Gas ,
Popular ,
UK ,
UK Supreme Court ,
Urban Planning & Development
The UK government's decision to rollback and delay policy commitments designed to help achieve net zero by 2050 will be challenged in the High Court later this year....more
The government has published updated documentation under the Building Regulations 2010 confirming that new residential buildings in England, which are 18 metres or more in height, will be required to have a second staircase....more
In December 2023, the United Kingdom's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero ("DESNZ") launched two consultations to garner views on the efficient operation of the UK's Emissions Trading Scheme ("ETS")....more
On November 28, 2023, the UK's Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") published its long-awaited final rules and guidance on Sustainability Disclosure Requirements ("SDR") and investment labels. According to the FCA, it intends...more
3/14/2024
/ Alternative Investment Funds ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Final Rules ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Foreign Investment ,
Greenwashing ,
SFDR ,
Sustainable Finance ,
UK
The Situation: On January 17, 2024, mandatory biodiversity net gain ("BNG") regulations took effect, impacting most new developments in England.
...more
2/20/2024
/ Biodiversity ,
Climate Action Plan ,
Climate Change ,
Construction Project ,
Environmental Litigation ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Green Infrastructure ,
Housing Developers ,
Housing Market ,
Real Estate Development ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
UK ,
Urban Planning & Development
The Situation: The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act ("the Act") was passed by Parliament and became law on 26 October 2023.
The Development: The UK government states that the Act will "speed up the planning system,...more
Over recent years, we have seen an office sector where occupiers are taking less space and using it in a different way in the United Kingdom, even when compared to five years ago. That trend, which was accelerated by the...more
Businesses are increasingly making environmental assertions as they seek to demonstrate their sustainability credentials to consumers. This trend, however, is leading to tougher measures from national regulators as they...more
"Green Day" in the UK -
As part of its "Powering Up Britain" strategy, the UK government has published a series of documents setting out its vision for the UK's transition to net zero and the strengthening of UK energy...more
March 30, 2023, was dubbed "Green Day" in the United Kingdom ("UK"), as the government published numerous policy statements, consultation responses, new consultations, and guidance, which all form part of its wider strategy...more
The deadline for organisations to complete and submit their UK Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme ("ESOS") reports for Phase 3 of the scheme is 5 December 2023....more
The UK's former Energy Minister, Chris Skidmore MP, has conducted an independent review of the UK government's Net Zero Strategy. The strategy seeks to ensure that the UK reduces its greenhouse gas emissions by 100% from 1990...more
Net-Zero Review -
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy ("BEIS") has commissioned an independent review of the UK government's approach to delivering its net- zero target, in a way that is...more
The Companies (Strategic Report) (Climate-related Financial Disclosure) Regulations 2022 ("the Regulations") came into force on April 6, 2022. The Regulations amend the Companies Act 2006 and largely implement the...more
The British Energy Security Strategy ("the Strategy"), published on April 7, 2022, aims to ensure that the United Kingdom has "a flow of energy that is affordable, clean and above all secure." Published against the background...more
5/24/2022
/ Clean Energy ,
Climate Action Plan ,
Climate Change ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Reform ,
Hydrogen Power ,
Nuclear Power ,
Offshore Wind ,
Oil & Gas ,
Power Infrastructure ,
Solar Energy ,
UK