The Law of Net Zero and Nature Positive

This book is the first that provides a comprehensive overview of the law of net zero. While the book focuses on England and Wales, it also sets out the wider international context and relevant law, including the principal domestic and European legislation,  and shows how the law applies across different sectors of the economy.

This book is the first that provides a comprehensive overview of the law of net zero and nature positive across England and Wales. It sets out the law on net zero, including consideration of the principal domestic legislation, the Climate Change Act 2008, and how legal obligations in respect of net zero translate across different sectors of the economy.

While the authors necessarily focus on the law in England and Wales it also provides an international context – reflecting the fact that climate change is ultimately a global phenomenon. No nation should lose sight of the global implications of decisions taken in its own jurisdiction – for example, if we focus solely on territorial greenhouse gas emissions, then we risk exporting those emissions and having a greater impact on global warming.

The book considers biodiversity alongside net zero. This is important because human-induced climate change and biodiversity are inextricably linked. Climate change has caused major changes to ecosystems beyond that expected through natural climate variability, and climate change solutions have the potential to either put biodiversity at risk (e.g. large-scale bioenergy) or help restore nature (e.g. nature-based solutions). Biodiversity is important in underpinning the resilience of certain habitats to climate change. Given this interdependency, and the fact that nature itself is often forgotten, the book aims to bring together the legal obligations in respect of both net zero and biodiversity so that practitioners, policy-makers and others interested in this area have both objectives in mind as they seek to address the challenge of our generation: climate change.

The book is divided into eight sections: Introduction, Planning and Environmental, Property, Environmental Protest, Public International Law, Commercial and Financial Services, Fiscal Measures, Construction.

The Law of Net Zero and Nature Positive will be an invaluable resource for a wide range of private and public sector actors across the economy including the legal profession (barristers, solicitors, the judiciary, and in-house counsel), the policy sector, non-governmental organizations and academia, including students.