This Primer is the result of a collaboration between many organisations and individuals. The Climate Governance Initiative and the Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative are grateful to all those who have contributed, and in particular, would like to acknowledge the contributions of the following people in producing this Primer:
Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative (CCLI) and Climate Governance Initiative
| Climate Governance Initiative | Karina Litvack | |
| Dr. Sabrina Bruno, Full Professor of Comparative Corporate Law | University of Calabria, Chapter Zero Italy | |
| Emily Farnworth | ||
| Nick Scott | ||
| Rachel Allen | ||
| CCLI | Prof. Cynthia Williams, Professor of Law | York University, Canada Climate Law Initiative |
| Ellie Mulholland | MinterEllison | |
| Sarah Barker | MinterEllison | |
| Dr. Janis Sarra, Professor of Law | University of British Columbia, Canada Climate Law Initiative | |
| Dr. Ernest Lim, Professor of Law | National University of Singapore | |
| Umakanth Varottil, Associate Professor of Law | National University of Singapore | |
| Sonia li Trottier | Canada Climate Law Initiative | |
| Alex Cooper | ||
| Julie Luanco | ||
| Param Pandya | ||
| Sonia Kovacevic | ||
| Jenni Ramos | ||
| Zili Duniya Bungwon | ||
| Zaneta Sedilekova |
Contributors to the jurisdictional overviews
| Brazil | Lina Pimentel Garcia | Mattos Filho |
| Tábata Boccanera Guerra de Oliveira | Mattos Filho | |
| Chile | Franco Acchiardo | Clyde & Co |
| Gustav Jacob | Clyde & Co | |
| China | KONG, Wei | Zhong Lun Law Firm |
| CHEN, Yuan | Zhong Lun Law Firm | |
| NIU, Tianhao | Zhong Lun Law Firm | |
| WU, Di | Zhong Lun Law Firm | |
| Egypt | Dr. Ziad Bahaa-Eldin | Thebes Consultancy |
| Nora Harb | Thebes Consultancy | |
| Ismail Ramadan | Thebes Consultancy | |
| France | Clotilde Guyot-Rechard | BakerMcKenzie |
| Guillaume Nataf | BakerMcKenzie | |
| Germany | Dr. Henning Schaloske | Clyde & Co |
| Christoph Pies | Clyde & Co | |
| Greece | Stathis Potamitis | PotamitisVekris |
| Dimitra Rachouti | PotamitisVekris | |
| Natalia Nicolaidis | Dynamic Counsel Ltd. | |
| India | Anchal Dhir | Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas |
| Aman Deep Borthakur | Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas | |
| Indonesia | Ira A. Eddymurthy | SSEK |
| Dewi Savitri | SSEK | |
| Aldilla S. Suwana | SSEK | |
| Raisya Majory | SSEK | |
| Ireland | Ann Shiels | FinLexSus |
| Eugenée Mulhern | A&L Goodbody LLP | |
| Jill Shaw | A&L Goodbody LLP | |
| Liam Murphy | A&L Goodbody LLP | |
| Japan | Dr. Masafumi Nakahigashi, Professor of Law | Nagoya University |
| Dr. Yoshihiro Yamada, Professor of Law | Ritsumeikan University | |
| Malaysia | To’ Puan Janet Looi | SKRINE |
| Francine Ariel Paul | SKRINE | |
| Bar Council Environment & Climate Change Committee | ||
| Mexico | Enrique Salcedo R. | Nader, Hayaux & Goebel |
| Yves Hayaux du Tilly L. | Nader, Hayaux & Goebel | |
| Netherlands | Rozemarijn Bloemendal | Deloitte Legal |
| Ruben Kamerling | Deloitte Legal | |
| New Zealand | Lloyd Kavanagh | MinterEllisonRuddWatts |
| Zena Razoki | MinterEllisonRuddWatts | |
| Philippines | Cesar L. Villanueva | Villanueva Gabionza & Dy Law |
| Lily K. Gruba | Zambrano Gruba Caganda & Advincula Law | |
| Angelo Patrick F. Advincula | Zambrano Gruba Caganda & Advincula Law | |
| Joyce Anne C. Wong | Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & de los Angeles Law | |
| Poland | Halina Frańczak | Deloitte Poland |
| Monika Sadkowska | Deloitte Poland | |
| Katarzyna Sredzinska | Deloitte Poland | |
| Romania | Cristina Reichmann | CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP SCP |
| Mircea Ciută | CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP SCP | |
| Russia | Nikita Shabalin | DLA Piper |
| Switzerland | Corinne Nacht | Baker McKenzie |
| Philippe Reich | Baker McKenzie | |
| Turkey | Emre Durgun | Nazali Tax & Legal |
| Süreyya Korkmaz | Nazali Tax & Legal | |
| Ukraine | Kateryna Soroka | DLA Piper |
| Oleksandr Kurdydyk | DLA Piper | |
| Uzbekistan | Eldor Mannopov | Dentons |
| Mansurkhon Kamalov | Dentons | |
About the Climate Governance Initiative
The Climate Governance Initiative (CGI) mobilises boards of directors around the world to address climate change in their businesses. The CGI does this by developing and supporting national associations that equip their members with the skills and knowledge needed to make climate a boardroom priority, building on the World Economic Forum’s Principles for Effective Climate Governance.
About the Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative
The Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative (CCLI) is a legal research and stakeholder engagement initiative founded by the University of Oxford’s Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, ClientEarth and Accounting for Sustainability (A4S). It is a U.K. non-profit organisation funded by environmental philanthropy and research grants.
The CCLI examines the legal basis for directors and trustees to consider, manage, and report on climate change and broader environmental risks, opportunities and impacts, and the circumstances in which there may be liability for failing to do so. It also works to advance knowledge on effective sustainable governance practice.
The CCLI commissions legal opinions from independent experts within a jurisdiction to build an authoritative evidence base on the requirements of company and trust law as it relates to the nature crises. The CCLI works with leading academics, law firms and civil society entities to carry out our own legal research and disseminate the findings. The CCLI’s Canadian partner, the Canada Climate Law Initiative, convenes 60 experts to educate Canadian boards on climate change under the Canadian Climate Governance Experts project. They also provide an online knowledge hub for climate risk and sustainable finance resources.
Disclaimer
Any errors or omissions, including differences between linguistic translations, in this primer are the authors' own. The paper reflects the law as at July 2023.
This primer has been prepared for educational purposes only. This document is not, and is not intended to be, legal advice. The Climate Governance Initiative, the Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative, their partner organisations and collaborators make no representations and provide no warranties in relation to any aspect of this publication, including regarding the liability of any individual person or entity or the advisability of investing in any particular company or investment fund or other vehicle. While we have obtained information believed to be reliable, we shall not be liable for any claims or losses of any nature in connection with information contained in this document, including but not limited to, lost profits or punitive or consequential damages.
The information contained in this Primer is of a general nature and it should not be relied upon as legal advice. Board directors should seek legal advice on the unique circumstances of their company and jurisdiction.