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6 July 20163 minute read

Sustainability and climate change services

Following the December 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change the level of climate related regulation through national and regional plans ramps up regulatory change related to greenhouse gas emissions. Under the United Nations Framework 195 nations have committed to 5 year reviews to ensure progress towards a stretching global target of limiting global warming to "well under 2 °C".

Over the coming years we will need huge changes to business processes, infrastructure, energy generation and transportation and these changes can drive positive and sustainable growth for innovators who unlock new market opportunities. The low-carbon economy is already worth US $5.5 trillion a year and US $90 trillion will be invested in infrastructure in the world’s cities, agriculture and energy systems by 2030 – creating an unprecedented opportunity to drive investment in low-carbon growth and generating innovative, agile and resilient organisations.

Companies and public sector organisations must respond to this fast-evolving landscape. Key issues include carbon pricing (tax and or market-mechanisms), emissions and efficiency standards, resource scarcity, subsidy reform and investment incentives. Businesses will increasingly be required to disclose climate change impacts and risk exposure and sustainability, and climate change credentials are coming under greater scrutiny from governments, consumers, employees and investors.

DLA Piper’s expert knowledge of strategic advice on sustainability and climate change helps clients understand emerging market trends to position innovative businesses “ahead of the curve” enabling them to reduce costs and manage risk.

DLA Piper’s Safety Health and Environment (SHE ) Group is one of the largest specialist teams in a law firm. We have a unique blend of leading advisory practitioners and defence lawyers, many of whom have been regulators, or have prosecuted on behalf of regulators at an earlier stage in their careers. Our advice is also integrated with global professional policy and regulatory services, strategic communications and government relations.

Our work includes advice to industrial organisations on compliance issues, environmental input into corporate finance and property transactions, preparation of due diligence studies, negotiation of contractual protections, supervision of remediation strategies to reduce liabilities and the provision of specialist advice in connection with environmental litigation.

Value-added sustainability and climate change services include advice on:

  • sustainability and climate change strategy design and implementation
  • sustainable products and services – risk exposure and management, opportunity positioning and futureproofing
  • environmental reporting and performance benchmarking 
  • carbon reduction and sustainable procurement

For further information, please contact the author.

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