This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: analysis of the landmark ruling holding mining giant BHP liable for a catastrophic dam collapse in Brazil. In addition we cover key announcements from the 2025 Autumn budget and a round up of the developments at the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In addition this week, the Environment Agency (EA) has published its Chief Regulator's report for 2024–25, summarising regulatory performance across water, agricultural and waste sectors in England and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has published a Critical Minerals Strategy, setting out the UK's long-term strategy to secure reliable supplies of critical minerals and strengthen domestic production.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on the case of John Jones v HRMC concerning landfill tax and illegal waste disposal. In addition this week, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has published a package of Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGR) business model documentation, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a policy paper on waste carrier, broker and dealer system reforms and published an updated version of the Outcome Indicator Framework for the 25 Year Environment Plan.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes analysis concerning Insurance Europe warning regulators of gaps in greenwashing rules. In addition HM Treasury (HMT) has launched a consultation seeking views on proposals for the design and administration of the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has issued its response to a consultation on proposed amendments to the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) schemes, and the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has launched investigations into the Defra Secretary of State (SOS) and Natural England for possible failures to comply with environmental law relating to special protection areas (SPAs) for wild birds. Also this week, the Environment Agency (EA) has launched a whistleblowing portal for water industry workers to report serious environmental wrongdoing by their water companies.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: the publication of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 (Commencement No 3 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2026 and of the draft Environmental Permitting (Waste Controlling or Transporting) and Relevant Functions of Primary Authorities (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2026, which bring control and transportation of waste into the permitting regime. In addition this week, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published new guidance on compensation requirements for environmental harms caused by offshore wind developments. Further, Ofwat has published new reporting requirements for new appointees (in effect from this reporting year onwards) and is consulting on revisions to its guidance for water companies undertaking projects under the Water Industry (Specified Infrastructure Projects) (English Undertakers) Regulations 2013, SI 2013/1582.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on the European Commission’s Q&A document on the importer requirements of the EU Methane Regulation, GDFC Assets Ltd (‘GDFC’) appeal to the Upper Tribunal (UT) against the decision by the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) regarding the cancellation of a green deal energy plan and a new offence that expands liability for corporate environment fraud. In addition this week the 29th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) concluded, with key outcomes including the submission of the first Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs), the agreement of the Baku Finance Goal (BFG) and the adoption of a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on Climate Finance. Further, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has filed its written submissions in its intervention in the appeal of R (Pickering Fishery Association) v Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs [2023] EWHC 2918 (Admin), the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has published the summary of responses to its October 2023 call for evidence on Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation on draft information and guidance for storm overflows in England and Ofwat has outlined the impact of its new rules on executive bonuses and dividends in the water sector during their first full year of operation. .

This week’s edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: analysis on reconsidering money laundering offences in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in light of World Uyghur Congress v National Crime Agency. In addition this week the decision in R (on the application of Fighting Dirty Limited) v Environment Agency relating to the environmental regulation of sludge spread on land has been issued, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a notice designating catchment permitting areas, and the Scottish Government has consulted on the proposed introduction of charges for single-use cups.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: News Analyses on the Court of Appeal decision realating to the government's food strategy and whether it amounts to a breach of duty under section 13 of the Climate Change Act 2008, and a claim for an amendment to the commons register to be reversed, which considered applicability of the Aarhus Convention. In addition, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has announced the UK's withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty after failed efforts to align it with net zero, the Better Buildings Partnership (BBP) has launched its Acquisitions Sustainability Toolkit, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published updates to biodiversity net gain guidance, and the Environment Agency (EA) has updated four offence response options documents. The European Parliament has also adopted new laws to restore the EU's land and sea by 2050, and approved updated rules on the Waste Shipment Directive governing the export of waste to third countries.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: analysis of the court ruling ordering BHP to pay £43m of costs on account after it was found liable for the collapse of a Brazilian dam. In addition this week, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a national security assessment examining how global biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation may affect UK national security and has also published the lists of reprocessors and exporters registered and accredited under the extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging scheme for 2026. Further this week, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has published the response to the consultation on improving the energy performance of privately rented homes and has confirmed extension of the ECO4 scheme to December 2026.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)’s working paper on a community benefits scheme and shared ownership of renewable generation infrastructure, a consultation by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) on proposed changes to the Contracts for Difference (CfD) Standard Terms and Conditions (ST&Cs) ahead of Allocation Round 7, guidance from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on items made from endangered species materials as well two Defra consultations on the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium, and brownfield developments and nationally significant infrastructure projects. We also include an analysis of a High Court case regarding the definition of ‘waste’ in the Planning Acts.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: several announcements from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) including, publishing a report of the provisional estimates of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions for 2024, its 16th annual emissions statement, as mandated by section 16 of the Climate Change Act 2008 (CCA 2008) and its call for evidence, seeking views on innovative hydrogen-to-power (H2P) projects that can be rapidly deployed by 2030, ahead of large-scale hydrogen infrastructure development. In addition this week, the Environment Agency (EA) has launched a new charging scheme for activities involving fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gas) and ozone-depleting substances (ODS), Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published the findings of Dan Corry's independent review, which examines whether Defra's regulatory framework effectively supports economic growth and nature recovery and Defra and the EA have announced a 2.65bn two-year investment programme for flood defence infrastructure. Further, this week, EA has published two guidance documents. The first document outlines the various types of costs the EA includes when calculating proposals for new or revised charges and explains the teams that receive income and the services they offer in the EA’s regulatory role. The second document details the optional ‘priority tracked service’, which provides additional support for major projects in England requiring a complex range of environmental permits and licences.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: the UK High Court's decision in the BHP dam collapse battle that BHP could not block Brazilian municipalities from bringing criminal contempt proceedings, with the court ruling there were reasonable grounds to argue the mining giant was in contempt. In addition this week, the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has launched a UK Climate Resilience Roadmap, the first guidance of its kind to outline how the UK's built environment is increasingly vulnerable to five key climate hazards, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has published a Solar Roadmap outlining over 70 actions to support the deployment of 45–47 GW of solar capacity across the UK by 2030, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published an update to its May 2025 response to the sandeel Arbitration Tribunal's final ruling in the UK-Sandeel case, Natural England has published its Action Plan for 2025–26 detailing how it will implement its new Strategic Direction, 'Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security' and PackUK has published a collection of four key documents related to the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) scheme. Further this week, the Environment Agency (EA) has published comprehensive guidance outlining the framework for waste exemptions in England and the National Audit Office (NAO) has published a value for money report, assessing the performance of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) since its introduction in 2021.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on publication by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) of guidance on environmental claims for fashion brands, the implications of a recently published report highlighting the extent of the PFAS contamination problem in England, the decision in Weston Homes v SSHULC, where the High Court granted an application for statutory review of an inspector’s decision refusing Weston Homes plc’s planning application on grounds related to consideration of biodoversity net gain (BNG), consistency in decision-making, failure to take into account an obviously material consideration and a failure to provide legally adequate reasons, and claims from a US paper lobby that EU Deforestation Regulation compliance is ‘not possible’. In addition, this week the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has published Northern Ireland’s first Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), a pilot version of the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard has been launched and the Department Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published the updated illustrative base fees for the first year of the extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging, and has announced new legislation, aimed at supporting precision breeding technology to boost food security.