The Law Commission recently announced that it has commenced a three-year review of existing legal frameworks to identify the challenges and opportunities linked to the introduction of highly automated systems into the aviation sector. Such systems could include autonomous drones that can deliver goods to remote areas and pilot-less flying taxis that can transport people across urban environments ...
We would like to share with you the most recent updates regarding the draft Power Development Plan (“PDP”) VIII, a mechanism for wind, solar power projects in transition and future, and the police investigation into 62 wind power projects. PDP VIII UPDATE Following the report of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (“MOIT”) to the Prime Minister under official letter no ...
In case C-323/17 People Over Wind and Peter Sweetman v Coillte, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that mitigation measures could not be taken into account at the screening stage of an appropriate assessment. Facts This case focused on proposed works that were necessary to lay a cable connecting a wind farm to the electricity grid and the potential effects that this would have on two special areas of conservation ...
Since the UK left the European Union, new rules have come into force surrounding the travel of pets. This article outlines the current position on bringing cats, dogs and ferrets into England, Scotland and Wales. Prior to Brexit, UK pet owners could travel freely with their cats and dogs between EU countries, provided their pet was microchipped and also had a pet passport ...
The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) announced on November 9, 2017 that it was adding two widely used perfluorinated chemicals to the Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause reproductive toxicity: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) ...
The Philippine Court of Appeals (CA) denied the petition by NGO Ang Aroroy ay Alagaan, Inc. and certain individuals, for the issuance of a writ of kalikasan against Filminera Resources Corporation, and its directors and officers. The petitioners have claimed that Filminera, which operates in the Philippine province of Masbate, had been causing environmental damage in the conduct of its mining operations in violation of local law, and that a writ of kalikasan should be issued ...
There are less than 12 months until new mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirements are enforced as part of the Environment Act 2021. The legislation will require all new developments in England (bar a few exceptions) to deliver at least 10 per cent BNG – impacting both commercial and residential developers. Although the Environment Act received Royal Assent in November 2021, secondary legislation is set to be introduced to enable the relevant provisions to take effect ...
In a surprising turn of events, the Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, announced yesterday that the controversial plans to close the majority of rail ticket offices have been scrapped. This announcement comes as a major relief for both passengers and ticket sales personnel, but it raises questions about the potential repercussions for the rail sector as a whole ...
The new Waste Act of 14 December 2012 went into force on 23 January 2013. It introduces major changes in the waste management system in Poland. The prior Waste Act of 27 April 2001 will continue to apply in certain areas, however. The new Waste Act was enacted primarily in order to implement the Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC) into Polish law. The deadline for transposing the directive was 12 December 2010 ...
An interview with Weronika Pelc, the partner in charge of the Energy Law Practice at Wardynski & Partners, and Michal Barlowski, the partner in charge of the Bankruptcy and Restructuring practices at Wardynski & Partners, about shale gas projects in Poland. You recently visited Houston at the invitation of the law firm of Haynes and Boone for a seminar on shale gas mining in Poland ...
Amid the noise, vitriol and spectacle, the real debate that we need to have about climate change has been drowned out. In the past few weeks, I have followed with much interest a Swedish child activist’s barely concealed yearning for the Nobel Peace Prize. Sadly, Greta Thunberg, famous for her tirades on climate change, did not win the award, despite her widely watched zero-emission Atlantic crossing in a hydro- and solar-powered yacht to address the UN General Assembly ...
In terms of section 29 of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 39 of 2004 (“NEMAQA”), which provides for pollution prevention plans: “(1) the Minister of Environmental Affairs (the “Minister”) may: (a) declare any substance contributing to air pollution as a priority air pollutant; and (b) require persons falling within a category specified in the notice to prepare, submit to the Minister or MEC1 for approval, and implement pollut
Ahead of the recent election it was no secret that the Conservatives wanted to see a cut in taxpayer support for the development of wind farms. What did come as a surprise was the recent announcement by the Westminster Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) that the main form of subsidy for wind farms would suddenly be closed in March 2016 ...
A patent landscape provides a bird?s-eye view of the patenting activity related to a specific technology. It can be an invaluable tool for your organization as the analysis of patent data reveals business, scientific and technological trends. Indeed, many industries increasingly rely on patent landscapes to provides a basis for understanding innovation activity in their field ...
Practical Advice for Defending Toxic Tort Actions - 11/29/2001 Texas Lawyer © 2001. All rights reserved Defending a toxic tort case involving multiple plaintiffs and defendants, not surprisingly, presents multiple issues of concern. In developing a litigation strategy, thoughtful defense counsel will anticipate these issues ...
Practise What You Preach Governance + Compliance Magazine Joanne Sear, Principal Associate Barrister, Shoosmiths February 2024 Companies in the legal services industry may be advising clients on the risks and opportunities around corporate responsibility, but are they living up to those recommendations? For more than a decade, corporate responsibility (CR) has been a key risk and opportunity for businesses ...
With Administrator Scott Pruitt at its helm, cooperative federalism is the frequently recited principle underlying recent EPA enforcement efforts. As the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulatory oversight in areas like the Clean Water Act is delegated to the states, the agency is relying more upon state and local authorities to enforce the laws. There are shortcomings associated with this approach, which were raised in the recent U.S ...
On August 7th, 2023, President Gabriel Boric enacted the Law that systematizes Economic Crimes and Attempts against the Environment, and, among other modifications, expands the criminal liability of legal entities (“Law”). Consequently, the Law will come into force and will apply to all acts committed from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette ...
On April 12, 2018, President Trump issued a memorandum to Administrator Pruitt to promote domestic manufacturing and job creation through policies intended to streamline implementation of national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) ...
On May 9, 2008, the Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs (MDDEP) presented its new pricing system for applications for environmental authorizations. The Order-in-Council provides for a rate grid based on the nature of the work covered by the application for authorization. The base rate is $500, unless another rate is stipulated in the rate grid ...
The Colombian government, aware of the need to improveinfrastructure in order to reduce logistical costs and thereby promote the country’s growth and development, is currently in the process of selecting contractors for the fourth generation road concessionprogram, which envisages the award of approximately 25 concession contracts, with total investment of close to €18,300 million ...
Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations 2008 - Environment Canada Consultation DocumentEnvironment Canada hold consultations in January 2008 on modifications to the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2005 that would prohibit the manufacture, use, sale, offer for sale and importation of certain toxic substances. The modified regulations would replace the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2005 ...
On March 13, 2012, the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development issued recommendations for improving the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) process (click on Print Format for the complete report). The recommendations focus on: improving timeliness; decreasing duplication with provincial processes; improving aboriginal consultation processes; and improving outcomes ...
On April 17, 2012 the federal government announced its Plan For Responsible Resource Development, setting out further details on steps to implement proposals for streamlining the federal environmental assessment (“EA”) process. This Plan follows on the heels of the federal budget and the Statutory Review of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act,[1] which both suggested that these streamlining reforms would be forthcoming ...
