Shareholders are becoming increasingly aware of climate change risks. Since early 2017, both Australian and foreign companies have faced a wave of climate change-related shareholder activism. Ceres maintains a Climate and Sustainability Shareholder Resolutions Database, which at February 2020 showe ...

Climate change impacts have for many years been accepted as a relevant consideration in the assessment of planning and environmental applications in Australia. Until recently, the focus of consent authorities has been primarily on the direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of a project from owned and ...

Very few areas of law are more changeable and subject to the political tides as climate change law. A range of Federal and State regulatory schemes and policies relating to greenhouse emissions have been implemented in recent years, some economy-wide and some industry-specific, and some more permane ...

There has been a global proliferation of voluntary reporting standards that companies might adopt with respect to disclosure of climate change-related financial risk. ...

Consumers and investors are increasingly conscious of climate change risks, and more demanding of businesses to adopt sustainable business practices. This has led to an increase in 'green marketing', which includes statements about environmental sustainability, carbon neutrality, recycling or impact ...

A number of states and territories have established schemes that provide electricity users with incentives to implement energy saving measures and which require electricity retailers to achieve energy saving targets. ...

The term 'soft law' refers to rules, principles or guidelines that are not themselves legally binding, but nonetheless play an important role in promoting compliance with certain standards of behaviour. Rules of 'soft law' can often act as a precursor to the emergence of 'hard law'. ...

The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has released its finalised Greenhouse Gas Emissions Environmental Factor Guideline (GHG Guideline). The final GHG Guideline dials back s ...

This latest guide looks at developments at the end of last year and the beginning of 2020. It covers: Brexit and the transition, final-form recommendations for audit and auditor reform, new stewardship obligations for investors, tougher new anti-money laundering rules, FRC guidance for this year's annual reports and Section 172 statements, the extension of the FCA's Senior Manager regime, market abuse, ESG and climate, private equity reporting, transparency of ownership of UK real estate and late payment. ...

Conditions of development consent regulating scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions outside Australia will be prohibited under proposed legislation introduced into the NSW Parliament. The draft legislation forms part of a package of measures announced by the Deputy Premier to provide certainty for mining investment, which includes continuing the previously announced review of the Independent Planning Commission (IPC). ...