This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: analysis of Investigations into failures to protect wild birds’ habitats from Professor Robert Lee, the Environment Agency (EA) publishing an action plan to reduce methane emissions in England and also the consultation outcome on the regulation of international waste shipments. In addition this week the consultation response on amendments to the persistent organic pollutants regulation has been published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the European Court of Human Rights against Switzerland in Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v Switzerland, finding that the Swiss authorities had failed to take sufficient action to mitigate the effects of climate change, particularly global warming, and a ministerial direction has been issued to the EA to pause the determination of environmental permits for certain types of new waste incineration facilities in England.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analyses on the High Court's ruling that inbound aviation emissions need not be quantified under Finch where no benchmark exists, the UK’s new Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan and the Lloyd's Market Association forming a committee to assess emerging litigation risks for insurers, including claims related to 'forever chemicals'. In addition this week, Great British Energy (GBE) has published its first Strategic Plan and the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) Authority has reviewed responses to its consultation on extending the scheme beyond 2030 and confirmed that the UK ETS will continue into a second phase beginning on 1 January 2031.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: a funding announcement by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) for the domestic production of uranium, two First-tier Tribunal appeal decisions relating to the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, and reports released by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) on its delivery for 2022–23 and how its monitoring and evaluation is delivered. In addition the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has published a report on the UK's impact and contribution to tackling deforestation, and we have updated our content on the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme to reflect the changes for Phase 3.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on the 2024 General Election, the Northern Ireland High Court's decision not to uphold the revocation of renewable heat incentive accreditation for reasons of fairness and eligibility, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)'s policy revision to remove the de facto ban on onshore wind development in England, Insurance Europe's report that EU sustainability reporting rules are unreliable for investors and the priorities of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU from July–December 2024. In addition this week, Fighting Dirty's hearing to judicially review the Environment Agency (EA)'s decision to remove a commitment to test sewage sludge was heard in the High Court, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) launched an investigation into the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra)'s emergency authorisation of pesticides, as well as an investigation into the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA)'s failure to adopt its first Environmental Improvement Plan, and the appointment of Chris Stark to head a new Mission Control to deliver clean power by 2030.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: new consultations from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) on a draft National Policy Statement for Fusion Energy Generation (EN-8) and Ofwat on expanding the remit of the Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID) to include wastewater and major infrastructure projects. In addition this week, the Welsh Government has confirmed that the Digital Waste Tracking System will become mandatory for permitted sites from 1 October 2026, and Scotland has laid the first regulations to bring parts of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 into force, beginning on 18 June 2026.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analyses on the Spanish Court's key ruling on state accountability with respect to citizens' environmental rights, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Ofgem, and the National Energy System Operator (NESO)'s jointly launched Clean Flexibility Roadmap, catching up on simplified EU sustainability disclosure rules and the case of Wild Justice v Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority. In addition this week, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) have introduced the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Bill to Parliament, Defra has published the 2025 register of compliance schemes under the Producer Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024, SI 2024/1332 and PackUK, the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) Scheme Administrator, has published guidance to assist producers in preparing for the scheme's first invoicing period.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on the 29th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) outcomes, some of the key UK and international climate litigation developments in 2024 pertaining to the energy sector, the key takeaways and what is on the horizon for 2025 and beyond and insured losses from natural catastrophes projected to pass US$135bn in 2024, marking the fifth consecutive year in which the total exceeded US$100bn, according to a report by the Swiss Re Institute. It also covers Friends of the Earth (FoE), along with co-claimants, Doug Paulley and Kevin Jordan’s appeal against the High Court's October 2024 decision, which dismissed their legal challenge to the UK government's National Adaptation Programme 3 (NAP3) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)’s adjournment of negotiations for a legally binding global treaty on plastic pollution until 2025, following the conclusion of the fifth session in Busan, South Korea. In additions this week, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has announced the signing of contracts for the UK's first carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) projects in Teesside. Construction of the East Coast Cluster project is scheduled to commence in mid-2025, supported by a £21.7bn government funding commitment announced in October 2024, the Prime Minister has announced a comprehensive Plan for Change, outlining key milestones to deliver national missions by the end of the current Parliament and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced a new inspection campaign targeting local authorities' management of asbestos risks in council-owned buildings. Further, Defra has concluded its request for information (RFI) on two chemical substances proposed as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) to the UN's Stockholm Convention’s POP Review Committee (POPRC).

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes analysis from Dr Michael J Bowes, barrister at Six Pump Court, of the government’s January 2026 White Paper, A New Vision for Water, proposes a comprehensive restructuring of the English water sector in response to long-standing concerns about pollution, water security, public confidence, and regulatory fragmentation. In additon this week, the European Parliament has given final endorsement to the 2040 interim climate target and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that over 150 countries have approved a new Business and Biodiversity Assessment, following the conclusion of the UK-hosted IPBES 12 nature summit in Manchester.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)'s consultation aiming to refine the biodiversity net gain (BNG) framework to better accommodate minor, medium, and brownfield developments. In addition this week, Defra has announced plans to introduce a Bill by the end of 2025 to enable the UK's ratification of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has filed its written submissions in the appeal of R (Rights Community Action Ltd) and has found potential breaches of environmental law on wild bird protection by Defra and Natural England, and Defra has announced that new provisions under the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 (W(SM)A 2025) have come into effect, banning bonus payments for senior executives at six water companies.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: adoption by the Council of the European Union of the amended European Climate Law, setting a binding EU climate 2040 target, publication by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) of ISO 14092:2026, setting out requirements and guidance for climate change adaptation planning by local governments and communities and publication by HM Treasury (HMT) of a Good Practice Guide on reporting under the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework for the 2025–26 period. In addition this week, we have published a new horizon scanner, which tracks key future developments in the field of environmental law in the UK. It is a maintained document that provides details of key dates for your diary (including forecasted dates where the actual date is unknown) and relevant commentary in relation to legislative updates, case appeals and other developments such as consultations.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: analysis on the a warning from Britain's state-backed flood reinsurance scheme that a lack of transparency and consistency in the planning system around flood mitigation is threatening the insurance sector's ability to insure new properties against flooding risk, the Supreme Court case of Lipton v BA City Flyer Ltd which provides a handy guide for practitioners on how to approach Eurolaw spanning the Brexit process, and CG Fry & Son v SSLUHC in which the Court of Appeal held the Court of Appeal held that regulations 63 and 70 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (the Habitats Regulations) allow for an appropriate assessment to be undertaken at any relevant point in the multi stage process for consenting which includes the determination of applications for the discharge of conditions. In addition this week the Scottish Government has launched the Green Industrial Strategy, the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill has been published in response to Climate Change Committee (CCC) advice, to which the Scottish Government has also published its response as well as a report on proposals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition this week, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) published a policy statement on the Water (Special Measures) Bill, guidance on irreplaceable habitat and the government's response to the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP)'s report on marine protection, and Natural England (NE) published guidance on amending or removing registered biodiversity sites.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: the publication of multiple new government guidance documents on requirements for environmental impact assessments (EIAs), marine genetic resource management and marine licensing in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ). In addition this week, the Environment Agency (EA) has published a summary of responses to its second consultation on river basin management issues and new guidance on decommissioning and waste management planning for radioactive substances activity permit holders. The EA has also launched a new consultation on updates to its enforcement and sanctions powers for waste and water-related offences.