In August 2022, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an inquiry into ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda to investigate the three fashion brands’ potentially misleading “green” claims. Nearly two years later, in March 2024, the CMA announced that it had agreed voluntary undertakings with the three fashion brands, which commit them “to […]
At the end of last month, the European Parliament voted through a new environmental crime directive which includes provisions criminalising the most serious cases of environmental damage that are “comparable to ecocide”. The environmental campaign group Stop Ecocide International has been calling for ecocide to become an international crime since 2021, defining it as “unlawful […]
Across the world, climate change litigation is increasingly seen as an important measure by which to try to effect meaningful local or international action and change of policy. In July 2023, a global study found that climate change cases had more than doubled since 2017 and included thousands of actions filed before international and regional […]
The Environment Agency has launched a new Economic Crime Unit (ECU) to tackle serious financial offences in the waste sector. The launch comes after the Environment Agency’s National Waste Crime Survey 2023, which found that nearly one-fifth of all the waste produced in England was perceived to be illegally managed. Coupled with this, industry research […]
In March, the UK government released its Green Finance Strategy, setting out plans to attract investment to help achieve the country’s net zero ambitions. Then, a month later, the National Fraud Strategy came out, revealing that fraud is “by far” the UK’s most common crime, representing 40% of offences in England and Wales. However, no […]
On May 12, ClientEarth, the environmental law charity, saw its claim against the directors of Shell plc dismissed by the UK High Court. The claim has been touted as a “world-first lawsuit”: a derivative action against directors of a listed company for failing to manage climate-change risks that was backed by institutional investors. The claim […]
In February, three French NGOs, Friends of the Earth France, Notre Affaire à Tous and Oxfam France, launched proceedings in France against BNP Paribas, Europe’s largest bank, in connection with its financing of fossil fuel polluters and thus failing to comply with its obligations under the French corporate duty of vigilance law, which came into […]
Transition to net zero in the UK and in many other jurisdictions relies heavily upon consumer and investor pressure, combined with environmental social governance (ESG) disclosure requirements. While there are some sectors of the economy which are well placed to deliver in this regard, the development sector being one, there is a Wild West elsewhere, […]
With more businesses using sustainability as a marketing tool, in a bid to attract environmentally aware consumers or to secure investment in environmental, social and governance (ESG)-related funds, it was only a matter of time before “green” or “eco-friendly” claims would attract the regulators’ attention. In July 2022, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) […]
Three French NGOs – Oxfam France, Friends of the Earth France and Notre Affaire à Tous – are bringing proceedings in France against BNP Parisbas, one of Europe’s largest financial institutions, in connection with its financing of fossil fuel polluters. The trio is arguing that the bank is failing to comply with its obligations under […]
