AI Around the Globe: What to Know in 2024
Impact of environmental, social and governance agenda on tax
Suzanne Folsom & Christopher Burnham on Private Sector Lessons
In a unanimous decision on July 23, 2025, the fifteen judges on the United Nations’ International Court of Justice (“ICJ”), also known as the “World Court,” concluded that the production and consumption of fossil fuels “may...more
The U.S. regulatory landscape is quickly evolving and in flux, with the Executive Branch further increasing the use of executive authority to unilaterally and rapidly transform longstanding federal practices and policies. The...more
Key takeaways - The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 1994 Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of UNCLOS (Implementation Agreement) established a general framework for Deep Sea...more
In March 2025, UN Women—a United Nations agency that studies and tracks issues of gender equality around the world—indicated that in 2024, “almost one quarter of countries reported … backlash on gender equality.” One proposed...more
It is common for construction industry participants to source various machinery, materials or components from overseas for construction projects in Hong Kong, or to have part of the construction and fabrication or assembly...more
In 2024, the 70 plus member States of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (“UNCITRAL”) took significant steps towards the creation of an Advisory Centre for States in disputes in the Investor State...more
Orders the reevaluation of the United States’ commitment to three United Nations (UN) organizations: the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC); the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); and the UN Relief...more
On January 20, US President Trump issued an executive order, “Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements,” withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement and other climate-related financial...more
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations shall immediately withdraw from the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Secretaries of State and Commerce and heads of other...more
Citing potential economic damage and unfair burdens, President Trump signed an Executive Order that starts the process of withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement is an international...more
In this article, we reflect on key trends in ESG over the second half of 2024 and look ahead at trends that may emerge in 2025. We analyze developments in the latter half of 2024, which were similar to those highlighted in...more
On 17 December 2024, the Federal Cabinet of Pakistan granted its approval for Pakistan to join 57 other nations as a signatory to the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation,...more
On 12 December 2024, the Regulation (EU) 2024/3015 on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 (the Regulation) was published in the European Union (EU) Official...more
The International Court of Justice has been asked to issue an advisory opinion on this question, and is currently hearing submissions from States, NGOs and international organisations. The International Court of Justice...more
Baker Botts Partner, Michael Harrison, delves into the drive to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (NZE). P2N0 highlights major global news items in concise summaries, with a focus on policy changes and project...more
Badged as “The Finance COP”, the UN Climate Change Conference in Baku (COP29) has drawn mixed reactions to its climate finance deal. However, the recognition of the role for both the private sector and multilateral agencies...more
Even for the unpredictable world of business and human rights, 2024 was particularly volatile, including for sustainability more generally. The European Union’s (EU) Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)...more
The 28th annual United Nations climate meeting in Dubai in December of 2023 led to several agreements aimed at phasing out fossil fuels, increasing renewable capacity, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050....more
The 29th Session of the UN Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-29) concluded on November 22, and COP-30 is now in sight. In this Legal Update, we discuss some of the key results of...more
The fifth and intended final meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on plastic pollution concluded on December 1, 2024, in Busan, South Korea, with negotiators unable to reach a deal on a new global...more
The 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ('UNFCCC') ('COP29') adopted decisions on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. After nearly a decade of negotiations, the outcome of...more
The 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) ended at 2:40 am local time in Baku, Azerbaijan on Saturday, with the nations involved finally reaching agreement to provide...more
On 15 October 2024, the Luxembourg Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (the “CSSF”) imposed a fine of EUR 56,500 against a fund manager, Aviva Investors Luxembourg S.A. (the “Manager”), with regards to the...more
During his 2024 presidential campaign, President-elect Donald Trump promised to impose a variety of new tariffs, even without congressional approval, including a 25%-75% tariff rate on Mexican imports, a 60% tariff rate on...more
We are pleased to share the November 2024 issue of Wilson Sonsini's Sustainability and ESG Advisory Practice Update. Each issue combines news, key legal developments, and resources related to sustainability and environmental,...more