Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)

Climate change and sustainability are set to be defining issues of this decade. CMS is committed to addressing our own impact on the environment and approach to sustainability, as well as advising clients with their related legal needs.

The shift to a sustainable energy sector and the decarbonisation of existing energy systems, agrowing market for sustainable investments, increased focus on ESG criteria in urban planning, tax reforms and sustainability incentives to reach climate goals – these are just a few of the developments that are shaping the business environment.

Our teams are helping clients to navigate this rapidly evolving legal and regulatory landscape and advising on first-of-their-kind deals.
 

To find out how CMS can support you and your business with ESG click here >>

Recent Articles

  •  
    02.06.2023
    Ukraine

    Ukraine es­tab­lishes Re­build­ing Agency, plans pi­lot pro­jects for re­build­ing and de­vel­ops e-sys­tem for their man­age­ment

    Rebuilding AgencyOn 17 January 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (CMU) enacted resolution No. 29 “On Some Issues of Optimisation of the System of Central Executive Authorities”. This resolution established the State Agency for Reconstruction and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine (i.e. the “Rebuilding Agency”), which replaces the State Road Agency of Ukraine and the State Agency for Infrastructure Projects. Furthermore, CMU resolution No. 193 dated 21 February 2023 approved regulation outlining the following powers and responsibilities of the Rebuilding Agency:management...
    Read more
  •  
    26.05.2023
    Germany

    The new Ger­man En­ergy Ef­fi­ciency Act – "En­ergy ef­fi­ciency first" now also in Ger­many?

    The Federal Cabinet has presented a draft for a new German Energy Efficiency Act. This will transpose the updated EU Energy Efficiency Directive into national law.In July 2021, the European Commission had submitted a proposal for an amendment of the Energy Efficiency Directive (COM[2021] 558 final) (Energy Efficiency Directive, "EED") as part of the "Fit for 55" package. The Council and the European Parliament agreed at the beginning of March 2023 on the proposal; however, the amended EED has not yet entered into force. Nevertheless, the German three-party coalition government has...
    Read more
  •  
    25.05.2023
    Poland

    Po­land drafts bill to en­cour­age in­vest­ment in bio­gas and bio­meth­ane pro­jects

    The Polish government has adopted a bill amending the Renewable Energy Sources Act that is expected to facilitate the development of biogas and biomethane projects. This draft legislation, which was sent to the lower chamber of the Polish Parliament (Sejm) for legislative work on 8 May, represents another initiative (further to the draft Biogas Act described at CMS Law-Now a few weeks ago) aimed at boosting the biogas and biomethane market in Poland. The key changes to be introduced are presented below.Definition of biomethane The bill introduces a definition of biomethane, meaning “gas derived...
    Read more
  •  
    25.05.2023
    United Kingdom

    Ex­pan­sion of UK pro­hib­i­tion of the im­port, ex­port and deal­ing in ivory

    Since its implementation in June 2022, the Ivory Act 2018 (the Act) has banned the import, export and dealing in elephant ivory in the UK. The Act, in its current form, is one of the most stringent bans in the world with those found guilty facing unlimited fines and up to 5 years in jail. On 23 May 2023, DEFRA published its response to the consultation on the possibility of extending the scope of the Act to ban ivory from other species. The consultation was held between July and September 2021. The consultation provided three options: Extend the Act to hippopotamus ivory;Extend the Act to...
    Read more
  •  
    24.05.2023
    Ukraine

    Coun­cil of Europe Sum­mit es­tab­lishes re­gister of war dam­age for Ukraine

    On 17 May 2023, 41 nations joined the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation Against Ukraine (adopted under the Resolution of the Committee of Ministers CM/Res(2023)3). This is part of the effort to implement Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly A/RES/ES-11/5, acknowledging the need for the establishment of an international reparation mechanism and Russian Federation's legal responsibility for internationally wrongful acts committed in Ukraine. The Resolution of the Committee of Ministers represents an essential...
    Read more
  •  
    23.05.2023
    Hungary

    Hun­gary launches new re­gistry and re­gis­tra­tion pro­ced­ures for com­pan­ies as of 1 Ju­ly 2023

    A new bill has been recently proposed to the Hungarian parliament, which aims to amend various acts that, among others, include a proposal to postpone the entry into force of Act XCII of 2021 on the Registry and Registration Procedure of Legal Persons from the originally planned date of 1 July 2023 to 1 January 2026. According to the bill's explanatory memorandum, entry into force of the Act is to be postponed to provide more time for legal practitioners to prepare for the systematic reforms the Act intends to introduce. The proposal has not yet been adopted by the Hungarian parliament.Hungary...
    Read more
View more Articles

Search Filters

Advanced Search

Stay in­formed about the latest sus­tain­ab­il­ity claims trends and de­vel­op­ments

ESG – En­vir­on­ment­al, so­cial and gov­ernance

We help you identi­fy risks and op­por­tun­it­ies arising from the in­creas­ing...

CMS Ex­pert Guide to ESG Com­pens­a­tion

In­cor­por­at­ing ESG KPIs in­to dir­ect­ors’ re­mu­ner­a­tion