Net Zero Lawyers Alliance: Our Work

International Trade Law

The NZLA is working with UNCITRAL to consider how international trade law can better align with the UNFCCC and the goals of the Paris Agreement. Priority areas include carbon markets, model procurement laws, cross-border insolvency and clean energy projects. It’s first carbon markets project seeks to clarify existing carbon market mechanisms and present how carbon market mechanisms could and should be harmonised.

Fiduciary Duties

The group is considering, and raising the awareness of, the true value of climate related risk and opportunity in the context of fiduciary duties. As with the accuracy of the costs of any assets or liabilities, values relating to climate must be accurate and properly accounted for.

The group is examining existing legal risk and potential legal consequences and liability for failure properly to price, audit and report climate risk and opportunity in accordance with applicable industry standards and laws. The Group will produce supporting guidance for the relevant professional service providers.

Project Finance

The NZLA aims to improve and simplify legal frameworks for deals that expedite the development, financing, implementation and impact of transition-related infrastructure projects. The Group demonstrates the critical role of lawyers in building the alternative, low emitting infrastructure and activities. Projects include project infrastructure risk mapping and an Africa Net Zero toolkit.

Business and Human Rights and Just Transition

The Business and Human Rights and Just Transition Group aims to clarify how legal practices can enhance business respect for human rights and deliver effective remedies addressing human rights impacts. The Group seeks to provide lawyers with the tools and knowledge to identify and address human rights impacts, as well as to navigate conflicts between rightsholders in day-to day legal practice to deliver on a just transition. This involves developing educational materials based on the key sustainability instruments such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the Paris Agreement.

01 Commit

The NZLA commitment is the gateway to the alliance.

This commitment broadly consists of:

Setting emissions reduction targets in line with Net Zero / 1.5°C.

Providing climate-related pro bono services through the NZLA.

Setting targets for capacity building and the provision of net-zero aligned advice.

02 Capacity

Preparing all lawyers to be part of the solution.

NZLA members undergo capacity building. Key capacity building tools cover climate science, climate-related risk and opportunity, and the intersection of climate change and different practice areas. The NZLA also runs capacity building workshops for its members.

03 Convert

Breaking down barriers and unlocking net-zero legal aligned advice

Members participate in NZLA accelerator groups focused on breaking down legal barriers to transition and using the law to create the enabling environment for transition. The formation of accelerator groups involves assessing the proposed subject matter against impact criteria, which include how central the law is to the problem and/or solution.

Accelerator groups include:

NZLA members take on pro bono requests from stakeholders, which often fall under one of the accelerator group focus areas.

"The Net Zero Lawyers Alliance will accelerate the Race to Zero and facilitate systemic change in law and legal practice to help deliver a zero-carbon world in time."

—

Nigel Topping

UN High Level Climate Champion for COP26

"It's fantastic to see the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance bring commercial lawyers into the collective effort to support businesses and financial institutions transition to net zero. Collaboration between lawyers and financial sector members of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero will be an important part of building a financial system for net zero ahead of COP26."

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Mark Carney

Chair, Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance Adviser to the Prime Minister for COP26

“I’ve seen some great announcements... we’ve seen at the climate week the launch of the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance, and this of course includes the likes of DLA Piper and Clifford Chance.”

—

The Rt Hon Alok Sharma

MP, COP 26 President

Our Work

Legal frameworks, products and services are critical to aligning finance flows consistent with net zero.

01

Commit

02

Capacity

03

Convert

Publications

Member blog: The Need to Integrate Externalities, Market Failures, and Collective Action Problems in Antitrust Analysis

NZLA COP28 Explainer

ICC Session - Horizon Risk

Our work

Our commitment

Contact us