On October 25, 2007 the Alberta Government announced a new royalty regime that will see a 20% increase in royalties for the development of the province’s non-renewable energy resources. Starting in 2009, oil and gas companies are expected to be paying roughly $1.4 billion more a year in royalties ...
On March 15, 2007 BC Hydro filed its first general rate design application in 16 years (after a lengthy government imposed rate freeze that ended in 2003, an enquiry into the allocation of the benefits of BC Hydro’s low-cost Heritage Resources, two revenue requirements proceedings and its first comprehensive longterm resource planning review in this year) ...
On 19 September, the Commission announced its third legislative package aimed at liberalising the EU’s electricity and gas markets ...
NIGERIA’S MINING ACTS - A Case Study for Mining Reform
The government's current plans to increase the UK's wind energy industry are "too late and too weak", the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) has argued. Under recent proposals put forward by the European Commission, the UK must obtain 40 per cent of all electricity from renewable sources, such as wind and solar power, within the next 12 years ...
The EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is one of a number of policies introduced across the European Union to help it meet its greenhouse gas emissions reduction target under the Kyoto Protocol. The EU ETS is viewed by many as one of the ways that private sector investment in CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) can be incentivised ...
On 1 April 2008, the market for non-household water and sewerage services in Scotland 'went live'. For the first time, business customers were able to choose their water and sewerage retailer in much the same way as they are accustomed to doing for other utility services, such as telecommunications, electricity and gas ...
The Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006 has placed the National Planning Framework (NPF) – Scotland's national planning strategy - on a statutory footing, to be reviewed every four years. The NPF was published in 2004 to largely widespread approval from industry, political and community figures. The purpose of the NPF was to introduce the Scottish Executive's strategy for the "spatial development of Scotland until 2025" ...
Review of Nigerian Gas Master Plan
Province of British Columbia Bars Exploration and Development of Uranium ResourcesOn April 24, 2008, the Province of British Columbia announced that it will not support the exploration and development of uranium in British Columbia and is establishing a "no registration reserve" under the Mineral Tenure Act for uranium and thorium. The "no registration reserve" will ensure any future claims do not include the rights to uranium ...
Yukon Supreme Court Considers the Duty to Consult on Settled Treaty LandsCanadian case law continues to refine the principles of the duty to consult and accommodate Aboriginal peoples, and the May 2007 decision of the Yukon Supreme Court in Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation v. The Government of Yukon (Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources), 2007 YKSC 28 considers the extent of its application on recently settled treaty lands in the Yukon ...
On May 28, 2008, the Quebec Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife, Claude Béchard, presented the first Government strategy for the lumber use in construction. Entitled “Agir aujourd’hui pour demain” (Acting today for tomorrow). This initiative has the goal of a threefold increase by 2014 in the use of wood products in the non-residential sector and in construction of multi-family dwellings, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 600,000 tonnes ...
On March 14, 2008, Luc Bertrand, the Chairman of the Board of the Montreal Climate Exchange, announced that the Exchange filed an application with the Autorité des marchés financiers requesting approval of the trading of environmental products on its electronic trading platform ...
As Petroleum Commissioner for Namibia, Dr Leon Moller had first-hand experience of negotiating with international oil companies in Africa. Now a solicitor in Aberdeen, with leading UK law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn, he outlines the challenges and potential pitfalls facing firms hoping to exploit the continent's vast resources ...
The UK Green Building Council has announced a new industry wide consultation to explore what kind of Code for Sustainable Buildings the industry needs to help it achieve the zero carbon target of 2019 and other sustainability challenges ...
Debate is raging at the moment as to the economic and political wisdom of imposing a so-called windfall tax on the profits of the UK's energy companies. Politicians, business people and consumer groups have all offered their views on what has been described as a "legalised raid" on the energy companies. But are the proposals "legal" at all? In that context it is important to consider where the profits in question are likely to have arisen ...
To protect consumers of oil and gas products, on 13 June 2008, the Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources issued Regulation No. 19 of 2008 regarding Guidelines and Procedures for the Protection of Consumers for Downstream Oil and Gas Business Activities (the "Regulation") ...
Leif Ramberg in team advising the West Sweden Chamber of Commerce on comments on proposal from the Environmental Procedure Committee Summary The Environmental Procedure Committee has been instructed, by supplementary directive, to review the legal rules which apply to the expansion of wind power ...
The New Mining Law After almost four years of discussions, the Bill on Minerals and Coal Mining was finally passed by the House of Representatives on 16 December 2008 and signed by the President on 12 January 2009 as Law No. 4 of 2009. The enactment of the New Mining Law brings mining under a new licensing regime whereas for the last 40 years, foreign investors have had to sign a Contract of Work to engage in mining ...
With the Baltic States a hotbed of energy related activity and practice areas such as M&A decidedly lukewarm, law firms in the region could be forgiven for hoping that several high-profile ventures in the sector would brighten up an otherwise gloomy 2009. But the highly political nature of the energy market means that lawyers are watching frustrated from the sidelines as large scale projects consistently fail to get off the ground ...
Last November 6, the government of Québec held an important working session that brought together various northern partners for the purpose of ensuring the sustainable and socially responsible development of the vast territory covered by the Plan Nord.Back in the fall of 2008, the Québec government announced the introduction of this Plan Nord for the economic development of the territory of northern Québec ...
To support the mining business the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources issued Regulation No.28 of 2009 regarding Mineral and Coal Mining Services Business (“GR No.28/2009”) on 30 September 2009. This regulation facilitates the implementation of Article 127 of Law No.4 of 2009 regarding Mineral and Coal Mining (“Mineral and Coal Mining Law”). The regulation repeals and replaces, certain previous ministerial decrees.Under Article 3 of GR No ...
One of the main talking points in the energy sector in recent months has been concerned with 'getting smart metering right'. But what is it about smart metering that businesses in particular have to 'get right'? To start, smart metering is not new – a number of countries have already been using it for different purposes. For example, in Italy, one of the motivating factors was to improve customer payment for energy ...
Recent developments in health and safety law will affect all those involved in offshore renewables projects, which are very much in focus following the Crown Estate’s announcement of Round 3 awards in early January. However, the new rules do bring clarity and consistency for those working in the sector and bring offshore health and safety regulation in line with onshore projects ...
