This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on the Environment Agency (EA) Chief Regulator’s report 2023–24, calling for reforms to the environmental regulatory framework to better protect people and the environment while enabling businesses to grow, written by Paul Collins, of Ashfords LLP. In addition this week, the EA has updated its published list of civil sanctions imposed for environmental offences, covering the period from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has launched consultations on proposals to increase minimum energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector and on extending the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) beyond the end of Phase 1, which concludes on 31 December 2030 and has published the final estimates of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 to 2023. Also, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced a further delay to the implementation of mandatory digital waste tracking system across the UK.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on the International Tribunal for the Law of Sea (ITLOS)'s recent advisory opinion on climate change and international law, an update on the High Court hearing underway between the Friends of the Earth and the government for violation of the Climate Change Act 2008, and the dismissal of an appeal against a decision that a local authority had been able to refuse to provide environmental information relating to a planning application for an Amazon Distribution Warehouse.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on the significant role of low carbon hydrogen as a means of decarbonising energy industries by 2030 and 2050 and potential disputes that could arise as low carbon hydrogen projects are deployed, and an overview of the key provisions of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Also this week, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published the findings of its Air Quality Information System (AQIS) review, which outlines several recommendations to improve public access to information about the health risks associated with poor air quality, has published the response to its November 2024 consultation on reforms to the Bathing Water Regulations 2013 and has launched four consultations on the renewal of specific exemptions under the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012, SI 2012/3032 (RoHS regulations).

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: the Court of Appeal's decision in Stop Portland Waste Incinerator v SHCLG upholding the flexible application of the proximity principle in waste planning decisions. In addition this week, the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) officially began in Belém Brazil, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a consultation on proposals to strengthen the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, and Natural England has published its corporate report titled ‘Natural England’s Strategy: Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security’, setting out a national framework to move beyond protection towards large-scale nature recovery.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analyses on the High Court judgment of Caffyn v SCC relating to the legal requirements for environmental impact assessments (EIA) following Finch, the First-tier Tribunal (FTT)'s decision considering whether information sought under a subject access request in relation to a planning application was exempt from disclosure under regulation 12(4)(d) of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR 2004), how the increasing significance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations for businesses has led to a surge in companies overstating their green credentials, the review of the water sector by the Independent Water Commission and the Joint Committee's published report on Forced Labour in UK Supply Chains. In addition this week, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Amendment, etc) Regulations 2025, SI 2025/910, which require online marketplaces to contribute to the costs of electrical waste recycling, have come into force.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: News Analysis on a Court of Appeal decision dismissing a challenge to development consent orders for road improvements to the A47 near Norwich, a High Court decision that there was no presumption in favour of repurposing and re-using buildings in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPFF), and City firms pressing the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to revise the draft guidance for its new anti-greenwashing regulations to clear up critical ambiguities as they seek greater clarity on how broadly the new rules will be applied. In addition, the Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative (CCLI) has published an Opinion on Nature-related risks and directors’ duties under law of England and Wales, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a draft SI to ban the sale and supply of disposable vapes and launched a consultation on a land drainage draft statutory instrument, HM Treasury (HMT) is consulting on the effectiveness of the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (MLRs), and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has opened the second round of the Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund. We have also published a new Practice Note on the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (UK CBAM).

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes analysis of the Court of Appeal refusing permission to appeal against liability findings in the Brazilian dam collapse litigation (Município de Mariana v BHP Group). Also, the King’s Speech, in which His Majesty King Charles III announced the Clean Water Bill, Energy Independence Bill and Nuclear Regulation Bill among others. In addition this week, three new decisions from the First-Tier Tribunal (FTT) on environmental information and environmental taxes, the publication of the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026, Biodiversity Gain Register (Amendment) Regulations 2026 and the draft Merchant Shipping (Port State Control) Regulations, and new guidelines on environmental land management (ELM), water resource planning, and coastal modelling.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: analysis on the aims and expectations of the 29th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), the climate change and human rights challenge to the adequacy of the government’s 3rd national adaptation programme including alleged breaches of individual equality rights and human rights (R (on the application of Friends of the Earth Ltd and others) v Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), the decision to overturn the landmark ruling that ordered Shell to reduce its carbon emissions, publication of Finance Bill 2025, and simplification of EU due-diligence reporting with an ‘omnibus’ regulation. It also covers the UK government’s announcement of new climate change goals at COP29, including a commitment to reduce emissions by 81% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels, and detailed coverage of COP29 developments. In addition this week the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced of an additional £47m funding commitment to the Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund, aimed at facilitating the construction of 28,000 nutrient neutrality stalled homes across England, the Environment Agency (EA) has launched a consultation on its proposed updated national drought response framework for England, titled ‘Drought: how it is managed in England’ and the Department, for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Welsh Government have launched a consultation on proposed reforms to the Bathing Water Regulations 2013.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on the impact of the European Supervisory Authority's opinion on ESG product classification, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)'s publication of a letter to the Climate Change Committee (CCC) on the UK's 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution, and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra)'s consultation on proposed changes to the Guaranteed Standards Scheme (GSS) for the water and sewerage sector. In addition this week, the Environment Agency (EA) has accepted updated enforcement undertakings, and the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024 has partially come into force.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: News Analysis on updates to the Better Buildings Partnership Green Lease Toolkit and the Loan Market Association Guidance for Green, Social, and Sustainability-Linked Loans External Reviews. In addition, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced bonus restrictions for water bosses where a company has committed serious criminal breaches, and announced a consultation to gather views on draft definitions and principles updating guidance for Marine Protected Area (MPA) assessments, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has confirmed that the number of companies and financial institutions setting greenhouse gas targets has doubled in one year, and guidance has been published on the biodiversity net gain provisions governing planning permissions granted under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Further, the Council of the EU and European Parliament have provisionally agreed to a two-year delay of the adoption of European sustainability reporting standards (ESRS) for third-country companies, SMEs and certain specific sectors, and the European Parliament has adopted a position on the revised Waste Framework Directive to increase the proposed binding waste reduction targets and extend producer responsibility.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analyses on the UK government's third iteration of a critical minerals strategy within a three year period, key points for practitioners to consider under Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 (PIA 2025) and a round-up of key developments in the field of Environment in England and Wales in 2025. In addition this week, the Office for Environmental Protection has published England’s fourth Environmental Improvement Plan progress report, finding government off track on certain targets, the OEP has confirmed that it has identified possible failures by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Environment Agency (EA) to comply with the Water Framework Directive Regulations, and Defra has published guidance on closed loop recycling under the UK's extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging regulations.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on the Law Society of England and Wales's publishing of their new climate change and property Practice Note, the ruling that a major brokerage firm can be held liable for millions of pounds owed to Britain's tax collector from a carbon credits tax fraud, and Dyson losing its application to take allegations of forced labour to the Supreme court. In addition this week, the Department for Transport (DfT) has introduced new legislation in Parliament aimed at increasing domestic production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has published its response to Defra’s Land Use Framework consultation. We have published a new Practice Note this week: Climate Risk and Property: Law Society practice note on climate change and property, and a new checklist: Environmental damage—Summary of enforcement options.