Overview

Climate change law is an increasing challenge for all organisations. It impacts in many ways: from energy efficiency regimes, greenhouse gas emissions permitting and sustainable investment, to reporting and public scrutiny, carbon trading, and renewable energy.

Climate change law is developed at a global level and the politics are international but the impact is local. Our climate change lawyers understand not just the global politics and international laws but how climate change law affects your business and how best to maximise the opportunities that the transition to a low-carbon economy presents.

Our climate change lawyers advise government departments, businesses, charities and investors on all aspects of climate change law.  Our experience of the Kyoto mechanisms means we are well placed to support your organisation in adapting to new climate change law arising from the UN COP21 Paris Agreement of December 2015.

Areas of focus

Our climate change law expertise includes the following:

  • Regulatory compliance – advising on mandatory low-carbon and carbon emission regimes.
  • Project development and implementation – supporting clean-tech and low-carbon energy projects.
  • Emissions trading – advising financial institutions and trading desks on all aspects of trading.
  • Energy efficiency and sustainability – advising on mandatory regimes, voluntary initiatives, efficiency projects and corporate sustainability policies.
  • Climate change litigation – thought leadership on civil claims and judicial review proceedings in the UK.
  • Funds and investments – advising on fund mandates and the creation and application of environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies.
Experience

Advising the Department of Energy and Climate Change on the Green Deal and its ECO brokerage platform.

Advising the supply and trading arm of one of Europe's largest electricity and gas businesses on emissions trading.

Advising a Non-Department Public Body on its compliance obligations under the CRC regime.

Advising Ibstock Brick Ltd on the first and only regulatory appeal under the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme in Northern Ireland.

Acting for a NDPB in the negotiation of a EUA and CER Swap Agreement under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme with a major power company.

Advising a large wealth management fund on mandatory carbon reporting and regulatory compliance for ESG matters.

Representing a US headquartered industrial client in its negotiations with the Environment Agency on its compliance obligations under the CRC and the interaction with Climate Change Agreements.

Acting for one of the UK's largest retailers to establish a purchasing agreement for the trading of green gas certificates.

We have been heavily involved in the development of Pay As You Save mechanisms to finance energy efficiency models leading to work for a number of Green Deal providers and others on energy efficiency projects

We are appointed to the panel of the Green Investment Bank and have advised on its investments into a number of low carbon projects.

Meet the team
Michael Barlow

Michael Barlow Partner

  • Head of Environment
  • Head of Water
  • Head of ESG
Ross Fairley

Ross Fairley Partner

  • Energy and Utilities
  • Head of Renewable Energy
  • Environment

What others say...

Burges Salmon is one of the largest and most expert environmental law teams in Europe.

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