This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: analysis of the biodiversity gain statements published for NSIPs and litigation being brought to test the EU's plan to build a carbon-storage market. In addition this week, the proposed level for the Seventh Carbon Budget has been published, as well as a framework governance document for the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) and new board-level resources from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on nature-related financial risks and opportunities have been launched. The Environment Agency (EA) has also published new guidance on its voluntary advice service for contaminated land and groundwater issues, importing and exporting waste and non-waste textiles and reference requirements for survey class licence applications.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analyses on the International Court of Justice (ICJ)'s first advisory opinion (AO) clarifying states' legal obligations relating to climate change, the UK's first claim under the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Convention showing bilateral investment treaty reach and the case of Smar v Secretary of State for Environment and Rural Affairs, relating to planning considerations and felling control. In addition this week, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has published a policy overview of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS), detailing recent developments and upcoming changes and the Home Office has introduced a modern slavery optional international reporting template. Further this week, Spotlight on Corruption has published an analysis calling for the UK to establish a dedicated sanctions regime targeting environmental crimes.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)’s launch of a joint consultation on proposed reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings regime, launch by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) of two consultations to expand the UK Emissions Trading Scheme, a consultation from the Environment Agency (EA) on proposed changes to its charging structure for greenhouse gas emissions schemes and a policy update from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), outlining the government’s plans to introduce Simpler Recycling in England, along with guidance on applying to become a deposit management organisation (DMO) for the Deposit Return Schemes (DRS), household waste collection services in England, new workplace recycling requirements for England and a template to assist waste collection authorities in preparing written assessments for the collection of paper and card alongside other dry recyclable materials. It also covers the guidance published by the Environment Agency (EA) on appealing its regulatory decisions or reporting instances of non-compliance with the Regulators’ Code and the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP)’s updated Strategy and Enforcement Policy for 2024.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on the High Court's decision in R (Badger Trust) v Natural England clarifying the approach to redacted court documents and varying Aarhus costs caps under CPR 46.27 and key energy law developments, end of year review 2025 and horizon scanning in 2026. In addition, this week the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) unveiled the UK’s first per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) Plan, the Department for Energy Security Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has published its response to the consultation on developing an oversight regime for assurance of sustainability-related financial disclosures and Net Zero (DESNZ) published an evaluation of the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) framework. . In addition this week we have published new Practice Notes on packaging design and use and packaging waste—reprocessing and exporting.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: analysis of the proposed implementation of biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirements for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) under the Environment Act 2021 (EA 2021) and the fine imposed on Thames Water for environmental failings and improper payments to shareholders. In addition this week, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced the commencement of the single-use vape ban, , the Welsh Government has introduced the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill to the Senedd, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has launched a consultation on a proposed UK version of the International Standard on Sustainability Assurance (ISSA) 5000, ‘General Requirements for Sustainability Assurance Engagements’, the decision of the German court in Saúl Luciano Lliuya, against RWE AG, and the Independent Water Commission has published an interim report on water sector regulatory reform.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: news analysis on the UK moving closer to merchant CCUS models—non‑pipeline transport of carbon dioxide following the publication of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) consultation on policy and support for the non-pipeline transportation of CO2, publication of the EU Sustainability Omnibus Directive in the Official Journal and what to expect regarding government progress on PFAS regulation. In addition this week, the Foreign Affairs Committee has published its Third Report of Session 2024–26 calling for a White Paper on UK-EU reset and early publication of the Dynamic Alignment Bill’, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published its response to the Office for Environmental Protection’s (OEP) review on the implementation of laws governing terrestrial and freshwater protected sites in England and the Environment Agency (EA) has published guidance on its natural flood management (NFM) heat map.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: analysis on the judicial review of a development consent for the Net Zero Teesside Carbon Capture Use and Storage project, the Scottish Government's publication of an Improvement Plan on Climate Change Delivery, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)'s publication of a letter to the Director of the Electricity System Operator (ESO) and the ESO's response, and DESNZ's planned consultation on new environmental guidance for oil and gas firms. In addition this week the EU Member States endorsed new EU ETS monitoring rules on CO2 transfer, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) published a harvest standard specification and evidence gaps for fisheries management plans.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: analysis of the Grantham Research Institute report Global trends in climate change litigation: 2026 snapshot, what energy lawyers need to know about the Clean flexibility Roadmap 2026 update, the decision in Staunch Campaign v North Northamptonshire Council, concerning entitlement to treat replacement habitat as mitigation rather than compensation, and the decision in Information Commissioner v O’Hanlon, which held that environmental information is ‘held’ on the date request is made, not the date of an internal review. In addition this week, new Environment Agency guidance has been published on compliance with Phase 4 of the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS), incorporating recent amendments to the regulatory regime by the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2026 and the Law Society of England and Wales has published new guidance for in-house solicitors on climate change considerations and their impact on solicitors’ core professional duties.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: analysis on the progress made by lenders and insurers supervised by the regulatory arm of the Bank of England on managing financial risks linked to climate change. Also this week, the Scottish Court of Session has ruled that the Rosebank oil field approval was unlawful as it failed to account for emissions from burning the field's oil, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has announced that the UK has submitted its 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published an interim statement providing an update on the rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) launched on 30 July 2024. Further, this weekthe European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has delivered a ground-breaking judgment, holding for the first time that a state's failure to adequately address environmental pollution violates the right to life under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Defra has launched a consultation on a proposed Land Use Framework for England.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes analysis on the impact of advised emissions, the deposit return scheme, the ISSB sustainability-related disclosure standards, what’s changed under the revamp of the OECD guidelines, and the case for an Environmental Rights Bill. In addition, this week, three Highly Protected Marine Areas came into effect, DESNZ published GHG emissions statistics for 2005–21, and the NAO evaluated Defra's progress on waste reforms. Further, Defra published guidance on local nature recovery strategies, LSE published a new report on global trends in climate change litigation and the Commission adopted a package for sustainable plant and soil usage.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: the Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra)'s policy paper on alternative ways of managing the fishing quota in England, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)'s extension of the Green Gas Support Scheme (GGSS) application deadline to 31 March 2028, the Council for the EU's adoption of a regulation to ban and restrict the use of mercury products and a Right to Repair Directive to promote the repair of broken or defective goods in the EU. In addition this week, the European Commission adopted a Communication to reduce the total number of allowances available on the European carbon market, the Scottish Government published its annual monitoring report on the Climate Change Plan for 2024, and the European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) published final reports on greenwashing risks under their remits.

This week's edition of Environment weekly highlights includes: a report from the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP), assessing the government's implementation of the duty to have regard to the Environmental Principles Policy Statement (EPPS), as mandated by section 19 of the Environment Act 2021 (EA 2021), the conclusion of the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) in Rome on 27 February 2025 and guidance from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), outlining how organisations obligated under the extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging scheme can register with environmental regulators and pay the required registration fees. In addition this week, the Independent Water Commission (IWC) has launched a call for evidence, seeking stakeholder views on potential reforms to the water sector in England and Wales and Defra has published a policy statement, outlining its approach to the wild release and management of beavers in England.