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Greener Litigation |
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The period since our last bulletin has been one of considerable activity - in the courts, in the regulatory sphere, and in the rooms where the international legal community gathers to take stock of the field's direction.
June 2026 proved a particularly concentrated moment for both. London International Disputes Week (LIDW26) ran from 1–5 June, and London Climate Action Week (LCAW) followed from 20–28 June.
Our co-chairs attended events across both weeks, and what is most striking when the two weeks are viewed together is not simply that the same broad topics appeared; that might be expected. It is that they appeared at the same level of practical legal urgency. Climate and sustainability issues are no longer agenda items that disputes’ lawyers can engage with at the margins of a busy commercial practice. They are, increasingly, issues that permeate the full spectrum of litigation.
Common themes across both weeks included:
- Carbon markets and greenwashing liability
- The expanding perimeter of corporate climate liability
- Energy transition as a generator of disputes
- Geopolitical fragmentation and the rule of law
- AI as a tool, risk and subject of litigation
So, what should and could lawyers and barristers do?
The call for action was neatly laid out in the National Emergency Briefing for Law, an in-person event during which seven expert speakers outlined the risk that climate change and ecosystem breakdown present to infrastructure, energy supply, finance, food systems, national security and the rule of law, and highlighted some tangible practical solutions.
- Put the impacts and risks of climate and ecosystem breakdown on the agenda for senior decision makers
- Ensure every lawyer understands the issues and risks of climate change, based on the science and evidence presented at the Briefing
- Use your sphere of influence to make change
A film featuring abridged versions of the briefings is available to watch here, which you can download and share with colleagues.
Looking ahead, with COP31 scheduled for 9-20 of November in Antalya, Turkey, now is the time for a new national climate conversation for law - and Greener Litigation signatories are well positioned to make an important contribution.
Greener Litigation will be celebrating its 5th Anniversary with an event “5 years on: Sustainable practice in a changing profession” on 17 September 2026. For more details about the event and how to register, click here. |
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London Climate Action Week |
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The National Emergency Briefing for Law on the Climate and Nature Crisis, organised by Amanda Carpenter and Zoe Leventhal KC, hosted by Pinsent Masons
The National Emergency Briefing for Law on the Climate and Nature Crisis, as referred to above, brought together senior leaders from private practice, the Bar and the Judiciary to hear from seven leading experts on the science, risks and solutions relating to climate change and nature loss. Chaired by Lord Sales, the Deputy President of the Supreme Court, the Briefing challenged legal leaders to place climate and nature risks firmly on board and leadership agendas, ensuring that physical, financial, legal and transition risks are embedded at the heart of decision-making, while highlighting practical solutions that can be implemented immediately.
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The Rule of Law and the Role of Lawyers in Climate Change, hosted by the Law Society
The Law Society also hosted an event during LCAW: The Rule of Law and the Role of Lawyers in Climate Change. The event explored the increasingly important role of the legal profession in responding to climate change, with discussions covering climate-related professional duties, corporate governance, climate litigation, greenwashing, attribution science, AI, and the growing need for climate literacy across the profession.
A key takeaway was that lawyers have an important role not only in advising clients on what is legally permissible, but also in helping them understand climate-related risks and the long-term implications of their decisions. As one speaker observed, all lawyers need to know something about climate change and then do something about it.
This message aligns closely with the aims of the Greener Litigation Pledge. The Pledge encourages legal professionals and organisations to consider the environmental impact of litigation and dispute resolution, to collaborate in adopting more sustainable practices, and to embed climate-conscious decision-making into everyday legal work. As climate considerations become an increasingly important part of legal practice, initiatives such as the Pledge provide a practical framework for turning awareness into meaningful action.
The event was a timely reminder that the legal profession has both an opportunity and a responsibility to help drive positive change, and that by working together through initiatives like the Greener Litigation Pledge, we can play our part in building a more sustainable future. |
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Other Highlights
Advised Emissions Workshop at DWF, organised by Legal Charter 1.5, Climate Governance Through a Legal Lens, delivered in partnership by Legal Charter 1.5 and Chapter Zero and hosted by Dentons, and the Climate Trunk exhibition at Ashurst Perkins Coie, showcasing John Lang's visual guides to climate science, the energy transition and the path to net zero.
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Greener Litigation and Achill Legal join forces for the London Legal Walk |
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Achill Legal and Greener Litigation joined forces to take part in the London Legal Support Trust’s London Legal Walk last month, standing alongside thousands of legal professionals in support of access to justice. It was a great opportunity to strengthen our relationship with Achill, who act as the Secretariat for Greener Litigation. It was lovely to spend time together, connect with colleagues, and support such a worthwhile cause, which supports frontline free legal advice charities. |
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Communication on Greener Litigation’s Minimum Standards |
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In January 2026, we asked all members of the Pledge to review and commit to our Minimum Standards. As a reminder, the aim of the Minimum Standards is to promote consistency, transparency, and accountability across the membership. Thank you to everyone who has already responded, however, as you will see from the graph below, a large number of signatories (66%) have not. If you have not yet confirmed your commitment, please do so as soon as possible. The Minimum Standards apply to all members, both new and existing: - Do you measure your carbon emissions/footprint?
- If yes, we ask that you publish this data (if it has not already been published) and commit to a year-on-year reduction.
- If no, we expect you to begin measuring your carbon emissions/footprint within the next 12 months.
The Minimum Standards are intended to represent meaningful action. Our goal is to ensure that our members are making genuine progress rather than creating the appearance of action. By working together, we can demonstrate our collective commitment to sustainability is backed by real, measurable change. We will be following up individually with members who do not respond by 1 September 2026. |
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Greener Litigation Projects |
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Get involved with the Corporate Engagement with the Pledge Project
Greener Litigation's Associate Member Pledge provides corporate organisations with the opportunity to sign up to and actively support the Pledge.
We're looking for new members to join our Corporate Engagement with the Pledge Project as we work to encourage more corporate entities to become part of the Greener Litigation community.
This project group is central to expanding the reach and impact of the Pledge, and we'd love to welcome new perspectives and ideas. If you'd like to find out more or join this project, please contact: manager@greenerlitigation.org.
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Supporting sustainable conduct and behaviours during the litigation lifecycle
We are pleased to share that the Toolkit: Supporting sustainable conduct and behaviours during the litigation lifecycle has been reviewed and updated, with many thanks to Freshfields for their review. The Toolkit aims to help signatories to the Pledge, and all members of the legal profession in England & Wales to better understand the ways in which they can implement the behaviours encouraged by the Pledge in their day-to-day practice during key litigation stages. |
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Please get in touch via manager@greenerlitigation.org with your stories so that we can feature them here. |
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| | Freeths published its first firm-wide Net Zero Transition Plan, setting a 2040 net zero target a decade ahead of the UK Government's own goal. The plan is validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and reports an 8% reduction in emissions since 2024 and a 15% drop in office energy consumption. The firm also extended its partnership with the Tree Council for tree planting and colleague volunteering. |
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| | Congratulations to all signatories shortlisted at this year's Legal Business Awards. We are delighted to see so many recognised for their achievements and leadership across the legal sector. Thank you for your continued leadership and commitment to driving positive change. |
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Save The Date: Join us to celebrate Greener Litigation’s 5th Anniversary |
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Five years ago, Greener Litigation was established with a simple but ambitious proposition: that the way litigation is conducted matters as much as the outcomes it achieves. We'd be delighted for you to join us in celebrating this milestone with an event “5 years on: Sustainable practice in a changing profession” on Thursday 17 September between 6-8.30pm, kindly hosted by Freshfields, 100 Bishopsgate, London, EC2P 2SR. A keynote by Kirsty Brimelow KC, Chair of the Bar 2026, will explore the growing imperative for climate literacy in the profession and what genuine commitment to sustainable litigation looks like in 2026. Our panel, bringing together expertise from the Bar and private practice, in-house counsel and sustainability experts, will examine practical operational steps litigators can take to reduce their environmental footprint, and consider what the rise of AI means for sustainable practice. Whether you are just beginning your sustainable practice journey or are already leading the way, we’d be delighted for you to join us in discussing making the practice of litigation more sustainable. Further details on topics and speakers will be shared closer to the date. In the meantime, if you would like to register, please follow this link. Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so we encourage you to register early. We hope you can join us. |
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Sustainability Dates for Your Diary |
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This is not a comprehensive list, but a selection of dates that have caught our eye. |
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Plastic Free July – July
Plastic Free July is a global movement helping millions of people reduce single-use plastic waste. The campaign encourages organisations and individuals to make small but impactful changes that contribute to cleaner communities, healthier ecosystems, and more sustainable consumption habits. World Nature Conservation Day – 28 July 2026
A day dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of protecting natural resources and biodiversity. International Youth Day – 12 August 2026
Led by the United Nations, International Youth Day recognises the role of young people in driving social progress and sustainable development. The day often highlights youth engagement in climate action, innovation, and building more inclusive and sustainable societies.
National Water Quality Month – August
An opportunity to consider water use, pollution prevention and responsible resource management within organisations and supply chains. The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer – 16 September 2026
This UN observance marks the anniversary of the Montreal Protocol, signed in 1987 to phase out ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Widely regarded as one of the world's most successful environmental agreements, it demonstrates how international cooperation and science-based policy can deliver lasting environmental progress.
International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste Reduction – 29 September 2026
Led by the United Nations, this international day highlights the environmental, social and economic impacts of food loss and waste. It encourages organisations and individuals to adopt more sustainable consumption practices and reduce waste across supply chains.
COP31 - 9-20 November 2026
The 31st UN Climate Change Conference, or COP31, will take place in Turkey, after the first big check-up on global climate efforts - the Global Stocktake (GST) - and after countries finished setting a new money target - the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) - at COP30. |
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