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The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) prohibits the placement or export of specific commodities—coffee, cocoa, rubber, cattle, palm oil, wood, and soy—from the EU market unless they are deforestation-free, legally produced, and covered by a due diligence statement. The regulation applies to deforestation occurring after December 31, 2020. While large companies must comply by December 30, 2025, micro and small enterprises have until June 30, 2026. SMEs benefit from specific exemptions, such as not needing to submit due diligence statements for products already covered by one and being exempt from annual public reporting. However, they remain vulnerable to indirect supply chain risks and financial repercussions if their partners fail to comply. The EU is implementing a country risk benchmarking system by June 30, 2025, to categorize countries as low, standard, or high risk. Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSSs) are recognized as supporting tools for risk assessment and traceability, though they do not exempt operators from their legal due diligence obligations. Non-compliance can lead to fines of at least 4% of a company's EU turnover, product confiscation, and trading bans.

The document outlines the importance of combatting illegal logging for biodiversity and climate goals, detailing the demand-side trade regulations in the US, EU, and Australia. It distinguishes legality from sustainability and describes tools for businesses to mitigate risk, including procurement policies, forest management certification, and legality verification services.

The document outlines the economic and sustainability benefits of organic waste separation for Western Cape businesses, highlighting a provincial goal to ban the landfilling of all organic waste by 2027. It categorizes available waste-to-value solutions—including waste-to-pharma, food, feed, soil, and energy—and provides a framework for onsite management, such as appointing a waste champion and implementing source separation. The brief also details relevant legal frameworks, including the National Environmental Management: Waste Act and City of Cape Town by-laws, emphasizing the need for accredited service providers.

The document details the regulatory framework of the EPA's Underground Injection Control (UIC) program, specifically Class VI wells used for carbon capture and storage (CCS). It outlines stringent requirements for site characterization, construction, monitoring, and financial responsibility to protect underground sources of drinking water. As of December 2023, 12 Class VI wells have been permitted in the U.S., with 178 additional applications submitted. The text emphasizes the need for increased funding and state primacy to alleviate permitting bottlenecks and support the rapid expansion of the CCS market driven by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.