This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced a fourfold increase in water company inspections to tackle pollution within the water sector, and launched a deep sea mining environmental science network to gather evidence on the environmental impacts of the activity, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has finalised its planning practice guidance on biodiversity net gain, and the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) has proposed regulations for disclosing carbon storage information and samples. In addition, the European Parliament and Council for the EU have reached provisional political agreements on Ambient Air Quality directives and EU carbon removal certification rules, as well as an agreement to extend the scope of the directives tackling shipping pollution to cover more types of polluting substances.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on key developments shaping ESG and sustainability law in 2026 and proposed reforms and other changes to the planning system. In addition this week, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a Water White Paper setting out a once-in-a-generation reform of the water system through the creation of a new single water regulator with stronger powers, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) have published a partial government response to their consultation on reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPB) regime and the Environment Agency (EA) has published the outcome of its September 2025 consultation on changes to standard rules permits for medium combustion plant and specified generators. .

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: analysis on the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs's (Defra) consultation on reforms to the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 in an effort to streamline regulation, the International Environmental Protection Report, published by Defra, the government's plans for updating energy efficiency rules in the private rented sector and the reservoir safety reform programme. In addition this week, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has announced that the Great British Energy (GBE) Bill has passed through Parliament, with legislative consent from all three devolved governments, the first UK-EU summit was held on 19 May 2025 which resulted in the agreement of a 'new strategic partnership' building on the Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, including a commitment to work towards an agreement linking the UK and EU emissions trading schemes (ETSs). Further, this week, Defra has published its response to the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP)’s February 2025 review of the duty to have due regard to the Environmental Principles Policy Statement (EPPS) and has, in collaboration with the EA, launched a record 81 criminal investigations into water companies in England as part of a crackdown on sewage dumping.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analyses on the government's responses to two biodiversity net gain (BNG) consultations: one on improving implementation for minor, medium and brownfield development, and the other on BNG for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) and the Supreme Court decision in HMRC v Orsted West of Dutton Sands (UK) Limited and others that expenditure on environmental surveys and studies for windfarms was not incurred ‘on’ the provision of plant for capital allowances purposes. In addition this week, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a summary of consultation and the government’s response on proposed reforms to the environmental permitting framework for industrial emissions, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published ISO 14001:2026, the latest edition of its environmental management systems standard and Natural England has published guidance detailing how it assesses the condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and the enforcement process for landowners.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) announcing that the Arbitration Tribunal has scheduled a public hearing for the UK-Sandeel case (the European Union v the United Kingdom) Case No. 2024–45, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announcing the launch of PackUK, the scheme administrator for the UK's extended producer responsibility for packaging (pEPR), and the Environment Agency (EA) publishing its first Chief Regulator's report for 2023–24, providing an overview of the performance of businesses and activities regulated by the EA in England. In addition this week the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has published its 2023–24 report on progress in improving the natural environment in England.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: the publication of various new regulations covering the calculation of the rate for the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (UK CBAM) and of carbon price relief under that scheme, various transitory matters related to UK CBAM, climate change agreements and the UK Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) scheme. In addition this week, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published its response to the Office for Environmental Protection's (OEP) report, ‘Progress in improving the natural environment in England 2024 to 2025’, setting out its response to all 54 recommendations on implementation of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) and Ofwat has launched consultations on Condition B of the 16 largest appointed water companies’ licences, sewer flooding customer service and updated enforcement guidance.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on the successful judicial review of the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan, the Supreme court decision in Davies v Bridgend County Borough Council, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)'s greenwashing guidance and the Court of Appeal ruling on flood risk and the sequential test (Wathen-Fayed v SSLUHC). In addition this week the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published guidance for developers looking to buy statutory biodiversity credits, details on the expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) which will be available to farmers from July 2024, and has launched a consultation on the introduction of an Alternative Transitional Registration model for UK REACH. We have also published new training materials on introducing environmental law, ESG and climate change.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on the Supreme Court's decision clarifying the scope of Habitats Regulations in planning processes in C G Fry & Son Ltd v Secretary of State for Housing. In addition this week, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a policy paper responding to the Office for Environmental Protection’s (OEP’s) January 2025 report on England environmental improvement plan progress, the Environment Agency (EA) has published three resource frameworks, providing guidance on how to meet 'end of waste' status for: (1) compost produced from source-segregated biodegradable waste; (2) digestate from the anaerobic digestion of source-segregated biodegradable waste; and (3) biomethane from organic wastes at landfill sites or anaerobic digestion plants and the EA and Defra have published the FloodReady review, setting out Professor Peter Bonfield's independent review of property flood resilience (PFR) across England. Further this week, Defra has launched a consultation seeking views on expanding the EA's powers to issue faster civil penalties of up to £500,000 against water companies in England that breach environmental rules.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analyses on the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy 2025, Commons progress with the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and Lords amendments, the draft Finance Bill 2026, the Supreme Court's approach to public interest exemptions under FIA 2000, a Market Insights Trend report on trends in sustainability disclosures in corporate reporting and the Inter- American Court of Human Rights Advisory Opinion OC-32/25 of 29 May 2025. In addition this week, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has published responses to three consultations on proposed expansions of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS), the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced plans to halve sewage pollution from water companies by 2030, the Independent Water Commission has published its final report on water sector regulatory reform and the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has confirmed it will conclude its investigation into combined sewer overflow (CSO) regulation.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on the Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs (DAERA)'s publishing of Northern Ireland's first Environment Improvement Plan (EIP), the launch of the government's industrial strategy green paper at the International Investment Summit on 14 October 2024, the highly anticipated trial against mining giant BHP over the collapse of a dam in Brazil, the Court of Appeal lowering the bar for two Nigerian communities seeking to hold Shell responsible for environmental damage, complying with growing EU supply chain mandates, and the introduction of the Water (Special Measures) Bill. In addition, this week the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) began on 21 October 2024 in Cali, Defra has announced the largest review of the water sector since privatisation, and the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has been granted permission by the Court of Appeal to intervene in R (Pickering Fishery Association) v the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs [2023] EWHC 2918 (Admin) and has concluded its investigation into the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), following the publication of Northern Ireland’s EIP on 27 September 2024.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes the publication of new guidance by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on the Nature Restoration Levy and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) on the public interest test under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 following a recent and related Supreme Court decision. In addition this week, the High Court dismissed an appeal from a defendant who was found liable for private nuisance after repeated flooding from his property caused damage to a nearby public green. We have also published new Practice Notes on how to manage EU environmental laws with extra-territorial effect, and deposit return schemes and a negotiation guide on environmental indemnities.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: the European Parliament's adoption of an ecodesign framework to ensure sustainability of products sold in the EU, along with the adoption of a directive on 'right to repair' rules mandating that manufacturers provide timely and cost effective repair services to consumers. The European Parliament also approved a Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) applying to both EU and non-EU companies and their partners to end or mitigate their negative impact on the environment and human rights. In addition this week, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) opened a call for evidence on PFAS in fire-fighting foams in Great Britain, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) published the outcome of a consultation on the proposed ban of plastic wet wipes.