Environmental Law Hybrid Conference – 3rd December 2021

3rd December 2021

Six Pump Court’s first environmental law conference is a timely, practice-focussed overview of key recent developments in environmental law, with two Panels dedicated to law and the climate emergency. Our speakers will highlight the issues that make a difference in practice now, and those which will be essential in the near future.

We are delighted to welcome expert speakers from Government, private practice, and academia to our conference, in particular Professor Richard Macrory, Emeritus Professor of Environmental Law, who will give the keynote address.

The full programme and speaker profiles are available in the Conference Programme and a summary of the panel sessions and further booking information is provided below:-

Our confirmed external speakers are:

Professor Ole W. Pedersen, Professor of Environmental Law, Aarhus University.

Joanne Holbrook, Legal Director (Environment), Addleshaw Goddard LLP.

Dr Sophia Northridge, Head of Carbon Capture Utilisation and Transport, Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Dalia Majumder-Russell, Partner, Energy and Climate Team, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP.

Vanessa Havard-Williams, Partner and Global Head of Environment and Climate Change, Linklaters LLP.

Sarah Oliver Scemla, Director and Assistant General Counsel, Bank of America.

Rebecca James, Managing Associate, Linklaters LLP.

 

TICKETS

**Discounts are available for multiple bookings from the same organisation with prices for the third booking and further tickets for public sector/NGO delegates reduced to £60 (in-person) and £40 (online)**

In person – prices from £40 – £125
Online delegate – prices from £20 – £85

Book online here

 

In-person tickets

Covid-19 safety measures : we are limiting the number of in-person tickets sold so that social distancing can be maintained in the Lecture Theatre. Lincoln’s Inn will be able to operate a one-way system between the Lecture Theatre and the refreshments / break-out spaces. We encourage delegates to wear face masks where possible. We will also ask that delegates undertake a self-test for Covid prior to attending on the day.

Refreshments and lunch boxes will be provided.

 

PANELS

The format of the conference is a series of five Panel discussions consisting of presentations followed by time for Q&A, with the participation of both ‘in person’ and online delegates. The Panel discussions and Q&A will be livestreamed. The day will end with an ‘ask the speakers’ break-out session (subject to Covid-safe arrangements), which will not be livestreamed. The conference will not be recorded, but slides and papers will be provided afterwards.

 

THE ENVIRONMENT ACT : TARGETING TARGETS

The Government has promised that the forthcoming Environment Act will make sure that we have a cleaner, greener and more resilient country for the next generation.

Our Panel, led by Christopher Badger (Six Pump Court) will examine the key aspects, from long term environmental targets and environmental improvement plans to the role and responsibilities of the new Office for Environmental Protection and will be considering whether or not the Act is likely to achieve the promises and whether this really is the most wide-reaching and significant new environmental statute for many years. [Speakers tbc].

 

WATER LAW : KEY ISSUES NOW AND ON THE HORIZON

Nicholas Ostrowski (Six Pump Court) will lead this Panel exploring a range of current issues with water law exploring the extent to which the Environment Agency is right to say that environmental regulation is ’not ready for a changing climate’. This Panel will explore the regulatory mechanisms available across water pollution, water resources and flooding.

Professor Ole W. Pedersen, Professor of Environmental Law, Aarhus University, will speak on the use of civil sanctions and undertakings agreed between water undertakers and the Environment Agency.

Joanne Holbrook, Legal Director (Environment), Addleshaw Goddard LLP, will speak on water resources and the preparation of water resources management plans by water undertakers.

William Upton QC (Six Pump Court) will discuss the Agency’s statement that we must ‘adapt or die’, with particular reference to flood risk and the ways in which the Environment Agency is trying to respond to adapt to increased extreme weather forecasts.

 

THE FUTURE DELIVERY OF CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE

The Panel led by Richard Banwell (Six Pump Court), will discuss UK Carbon Capture policy and the emerging technical and legal solutions for delivering an industrialised supply chain.

Dr Sophia Northridge, Head of Carbon Capture Utilisation and Transport, Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, will explain the role carbon capture will play in meeting the UK’s 2050 target and the infrastructure required for geological sequestration.

Dalia Majumder-Russell, Partner, Energy and Climate Team, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP, will explore the emerging regulatory framework and opportunities for industry, including potential business models and commercial agreements.

 

COMPANIES, FINANCE and CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change risks are a key driver for increasing regulatory pressure on companies and financial institutions. This Panel, led by Mark Davies (Six Pump Court) will address the opportunities and challenges.

Vanessa Havard-Williams, Partner and Global Head of Environment and Climate Change, Linklaters LLP, will outline the EU, and future UK, regulatory frameworks for mandatory climate-related financial disclosures, and green taxonomy, including what the UK can learn from implementation of the EU frameworks.

Sarah Oliver Scemla, Director and Assistant General Counsel, Bank of America, will explore the likely challenges around the implementation of UK disclosure frameworks, the potential impact on other regulated sectors, and the work of the Chancery Lane Project in this area.

 

LITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE – WHAT COULD CHANGE AFTER COP-26 ?

The climate change policy framework in the United Kingdom is shifting rapidly, with the recent publication of the Government’s strategies on Net Zero, and Heat and Buildings. Climate litigation claimants in other jurisdictions have achieved notable success in recent months, and the impact of the COP-26 outcomes on the policy landscape is awaited. What difference are these developments likely to make to climate litigation and arbitration in the United Kingdom? Will arguments which have failed so far, have a greater chance of success in the near future? Our panellists, led by Stephen Hockman QC, will discuss these issues :

Anastasia Kantzelis, international climate lawyer and associate member of Six Pump Court, will explain the key COP-26 outcomes and their relevance to domestic policy and regulatory frameworks.

Rebecca James, Managing Associate at Linklaters LLP, will consider private law claims, including emerging global trends in climate litigation and international arbitration in connection with climate change, and the UK perspective.

Noémi Byrd, planning and administrative law barrister at Six Pump Court, will examine why public law climate litigation in the United Kingdom has been largely unsuccessful to date, and whether this trend looks set to continue.

 

Booking Information

The in-person conference will take place in the new Ashworth Centre at Lincoln’s Inn on 3rd December from 9am to 5pm and will be livestreamed, so that delegates who cannot or do not wish to attend in person will be able to follow the main panel presentations and Q&A online.

In person places are limited, so early booking is advisable.

Book online here.