Climate

The UK government's net zero strategy is unlawful, a court has found on the eve of the hottest day in the UK's history. The successful legal challenges were brought by Friends of the Earth, ClientEarth, Good Law Project and environmental campaigner Jo Wheatley and heard together at the Royal Courts

Judges from Germany have visited Peru to examine the level of environmental damage allegedly caused by Europe’s greatest emitter in what could be a landmark climate case. The delegation visited a glacial lake in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca mountain range to find out if Germany’s large

A man has died after self-immolating in front of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) building in what is believed to have been a protest against climate change. Wynn Bruce, a 50-year-old photojournalist and a Shambhala Buddhist, died in hospital on Saturday, a day after he set himself on

The Irish government's ambition to create a "circular economy" where waste is minimised will become a statutory requirement under landmark legislation announced today. The Circular Economy Bill will define the term "circular economy" for the first time in Irish domestic law as "an economic model and

The new maritime area consent (MAC) regime for renewable energy developments has come into effect, with the first consents expected to be issued to developers in the second half of 2022. The new regime enables the minister for the environment to issue MACs on an interim basis pending the establishme

A new legal framework for environmental governance and accountability in Northern Ireland following Brexit has been introduced. The Environment (2021 Act) (Commencement and Saving Provision) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022 places statutory duties on DAERA to publish an Environmental Improvement Plan (

The renewable energy bursary established by Arthur Cox in memory of the firm's late partner Niamh Burke has opened for 2022 applications. The bursary is open to all those who are planning to study in a field related to renewable energy in Ireland, at postgraduate level. All relevant disciplines are

Corporate law firm Philip Lee has signed up to an electric cargo bike scheme allowing staff to try out a more climate-friendly way to commute. Under the pilot scheme, run by Dublin City Council in partnership with bike sharing operator Bleeper, the firm will trial pedal-assist "e-cargobikes" for six

Ireland should have a dedicated environmental court along the lines of the Workplace Relations Commission or the Labour Court, experts will tell the Climate Bar Association's inaugural symposium this afternoon. Taoiseach Micheál Martin will open the online event, hosted in association with Th

Corrina Cassidy, associate at Eversheds Sutherland in Belfast, considers the role of retail businesses in supporting the use of electric vehicles. A key part of the move towards net zero and greater sustainability will be the electrification of the road network. Electric vehicles (EVs) will play an

The Law Society of Northern Ireland has announced the establishment of two new special interest groups focusing on climate justice and law tech. Brigid Napier, president of the Law Society, said: "As we approach the Law Society’s centenary year, it is important to look forward to the next 100

Ireland's courts service has missed its 2020 energy efficiency targets and will have to catch up to meet an even more ambitious 2030 target. The Courts Service today published its first-ever environmental sustainability strategy, which sets out its priorities for 2021 to 2024.

Belfast-based McKees has been awarded a bronze medal by EcoVadis in recognition of its business sustainability rating, becoming the only law firm in Ireland to hold the accreditation. EcoVadis is a worldwide provider of business sustainability ratings, intelligence and collaborative performance impr

Arthur Cox has been announced as a sponsor of the 2022 Environment Ireland Conference, which is taking place in Croke Park in January. Now in its 17th year, the theme of the conference, taking place from 18-19 January 2022, will be "Ireland in 2050: Becoming an Environmental Leader".

UK law firm Shoosmiths' emissions reduction targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Shoosmiths, which has an office in Belfast, commits to reductions across its entire value chain to reduce absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions 50 per cent by FY2030 f