Climate Change and Environmental Law

Overview

Protecting the world we live in is one of the key challenges for the 21st century. Businesses face both a legal obligation and a moral responsibility to work to ensure that their impact on the environment is minimised. Compliance with climate change and environmental law is relevant to all businesses, not just those that may have an obvious risk of pollution.

What is environmental law?

Environmental law attempts to minimise the impact of climate change and protect the environment. It can cover a number of areas, including climate control, water pollution, renewable energy, waste and ESG.

Environmental law applies to every business and public body. If it is not carefully managed, non-compliance can cause significant financial and reputational damage to businesses.

Our environmental lawyers have a deep understanding of this area of the law and deliver practical advice that is easy to understand. We act for entrepreneurs, businesses, funders and public and local authorities across all sectors.

Our team of environmental and climate change lawyers are led by highly experienced partners who have a passion for this practice area. Translating complex legislation into clear actionable points, we draw upon our experience to offer you solutions that are built around your business and its needs.

Meet our international team

If you are seeking advice in this area, please do contact a member of our team today.

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Contact us today

For advice on climate change and environmental law, contact a member of our team.

Contact the team

Canada

Gowling WLG's Environmental Law Group combines the strength and flexibility of a global, full-service law firm with the quality of service of a boutique environmental practice.

We help clients anticipate new developments in environmental law, delivering practical advice and effective representation that help clients address environmental issues as they arise.

The legal professionals at Gowling WLG are recognized nationally and internationally for their experience in environmental law, including in The Best Lawyers in CanadaThe Legal 500 and Chambers.

In Ontario, six professionals are "Certified Specialists in Environmental Law" - a designation granted exclusively by the Law Society of Ontario to those who have met established standards of experience and knowledge, and maintained exemplary standards of professional practice.

The legal expertise you need

Our in-depth environmental law services include:

  • Brownfields: Advice on brownfield development strategies addressing environmental, municipal and planning approvals as well as economic incentives
  • Climate change: Advice on proposed measures to address climate change, including carbon credit quantification and verification
  • Corporate transactions: Environmental counsel in negotiations, due diligence and risk assessment as well as in drafting environmental provisions in transaction and finance documents
  • Corporate advice: Counsel to businesses in a wide variety of industry sectors
  • Emergency response: Advice with respect to environmental emergencies
  • Environmental assessments: Advice on compliance with provincial and federal environmental legislation
  • Litigation and advocacy: Representation at every level of court in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Québec on a variety of issues, including toxic tort and contaminated lands litigation, defence and prosecution of environmental laws, and environmental arbitration and mediation, as well as counsel at parliamentary committees, municipal councils and provincial tribunals
  • First Nations: Counsel and representation for First Nations, as well as public and private sector clients involved in Aboriginal rights issues
  • International development: Preparation of institutional strengthening
  • Real estate transactions: Advice on potential liabilities relating to corporate real estate transactions and development projects
  • Toxic substances: Assistance in dealing with the registration of new substances for use in Canada, and advice on the proposed designation of certain substances as toxic substances
  • Training: Design and delivery of environmental law training programs
  • Transportation of dangerous goods: Advice on the registration, use, storage, handling, importing/exporting and transportation of toxic and controlled substances
  • Waste management: Advice and representation on all aspects of waste management, from permitting to ongoing compliance
  • Water and wastewater treatment and management: Advice on day-to-day operations, corporate structuring and outsourcing of municipal services

Learn more

We want to help you succeed. To learn more about our environmental law services, please contact any member of our team.

Adam Chamberlain
Partner, Head of Environmental Law

Natalie Mullins
Partner

UK

Our UK team has the insight and sector experience to guide you through the complexity of local and international environmental laws and best practices.

We aim to deliver practical, user-friendly advice that you can quickly understand and implement. Drawing on experience from a wide range of sectors, our advice is timely, on point and strategic in the context of complex litigation, environmental emergencies and interventions, business transactions, development projects and compliance matters, as well as day-to-day commercial operations.

Climate change and environmental law services

Recognition in the UK

Provides succinct and accurate advice in a timely manner. Chambers and Partners

Our environmental lawyers are consistently recognised by both The Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners for their work in the field.

The Legal 500 ranks the team as a Tier 1 environmental law firm for the Midlands. The guide also notes Andrew Litchfield as a Leading Individual.

Chambers and Partners ranks the team in Band 1 for the Midlands. Ben Stansfield's approach is described as "very commercial and pragmatic", while Andrew Litchfield's "excellent reputation" in the market is recognised.

Ben Stansfield is also featured in Who's Who Legal for Environmental Law.

Client work

Due to the nature of our work, the clients involved in the following examples of our work are confidential.

Contact our environmental lawyers in the UK

Ben Stansfield
Partner

Andrew Litchfield
Partner