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The document outlines the distinctions between 'most harmful substances', 'substances of very high concern', 'substances of concern', and 'hazardous substances' under EU regulations, while providing estimates on the scale of the global and EU chemical markets.

The document argues that EU and UK governments have failed to protect public health by not holding auto manufacturers accountable for illegal defeat devices. It proposes three main pillars of action: identifying and correcting the use of these devices through manufacturer-funded retrofits, establishing a 'Dieselgate Clean Up Fund' paid for by industry to accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles, and adopting more robust clean air laws and emissions standards, including an ambitious Euro 7 standard and a phase-out of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 for cars and vans.

ClientEarth argues that EIOPA's reliance on historical data to assess transition risks is flawed because future decarbonization will be non-linear and more rapid than past trends. The organization advocates for a precautionary approach, specifically proposing a 100% capital requirement for companies engaged in 'New Fossil Fuel Activities' (exploration, expansion, or development). ClientEarth also warns that sustainability market indices and corporate emissions targets are often unreliable due to greenwashing and inadequate methodologies, urging EIOPA to include absolute emissions and scope 3 emissions in its risk assessments to avoid underrepresenting systemic financial risks.

The report asserts that access to healthy and sustainable food is a fundamental human right embedded within the right to a healthy environment. It highlights that while food availability in the EU is currently stable, intensive agri-food models, biodiversity loss, and climate change threaten future food security. The authors argue that the EU has a legal responsibility to protect this right through its legislative frameworks, specifically recommending that the proposed Legislative Framework for Sustainable Food Systems (FSFS) adopt a rights-based approach, phase out harmful subsidies, and ensure public procurement of sustainable food.

The briefing reveals that small-scale coastal fishing (SSCF), despite representing 75% of the EU fleet, received only 20% of European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) spending between 2014 and 2021. It highlights a lack of transparent reporting by Member States on SSCF action plans and notes that higher public aid intensity has not sufficiently increased investments in small-scale projects. The document argues that funding disproportionately favors larger vessels, particularly in the Mediterranean, and recommends that the European Commission mandate more granular data collection and that Member States provide local administrative support to help small-scale fishers access funds.

ClientEarth argues that the TPT framework must move from permissive language to mandatory, science-aligned standards to correct a market failure where corporate net zero commitments lack credible transition plans. Key recommendations include requiring alignment with 1.5°C pathways, mandatory disclosure of all Scope 1-3 emissions, and a prohibition on counting carbon credits toward reduction targets. The document also advocates for stronger links between transition plans and financial statements, more rigorous reporting on corporate lobbying, and the integration of 'just transition' and nature-positive objectives.

The document is an open letter addressed to President von der Leyen and other European Commissioners, calling for the establishment of a legal framework for sustainable food systems in the EU. The signatories argue that such a framework is essential to achieve the goals of the Farm to Fork strategy and the European Green Deal, and to address the threats posed by biodiversity loss and climate change to food security.

ClientEarth argues that the UK government has significantly reduced its ambitions for soil health, moving from a goal of all soils being sustainably managed by 2030 to only 60% of agricultural soils. The submission highlights a fragmented regulatory landscape, poor enforcement by the Environment Agency, and the risk that the Retained EU Law Bill will create a 'regulatory gap' by removing cross-compliance standards. ClientEarth advocates for a new legal framework with binding targets, a universal definition of 'healthy soils', and a shift away from purely voluntary schemes like the Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs), which they argue lack the mandatory minimum standards necessary to achieve national environmental goals.

ClientEarth is pursuing a 'world-first' derivative action in the High Court of England and Wales to hold Shell's Board of Directors personally liable for mismanaging climate risks. The claim argues that Shell's energy transition strategy is insufficient, as its net-zero targets are not reflected in budgets and its reduction targets focus on 'carbon intensity' rather than absolute emissions. ClientEarth asserts this mismanagement breaches the UK Companies Act, specifically Section 172, which requires directors to promote the company's long-term success. The action is supported by various institutional investors from the UK, Sweden, France, Belgium, and Denmark.

The CJEU ruled in case C-330/22 that the EU Council has a margin of discretion to set TACs above scientific advice for by-catch stocks within multiannual plans to avoid premature fishery closures. However, the Court affirmed that for target stocks, the MSY deadline is a strict obligation with no flexibility to depart from scientific advice. This overturned an earlier Advocate General's opinion which argued that the 2020 deadline applied to all stocks without exception.

ClientEarth's response to the FCA's CP22/20 proposes several enhancements to the SDR framework to ensure consumer protection and environmental integrity. Key recommendations include the adoption of a "do no significant harm" principle, the implementation of "double materiality" in reporting, and the tightening of criteria for "sustainable focus" and "sustainable improver" labels. The organization warns that the term "sustainable" may be misleading if products only target narrow objectives while causing harm elsewhere, and calls for a robust enforcement roadmap to oversee the self-certifying labelling regime.

ClientEarth argues that the European Commission's proposal for a recast Ambient Air Quality Directive lacks sufficient ambition and contains legal loopholes. The organization recommends aligning limit values with WHO Air Quality Guidelines by 2030, accelerating the timeline for 'Delivery Plans' to avoid widespread breaches in 2030, and introducing time-based financial sanctions for public authorities that fail to meet deadlines. It also advocates for maintaining and strengthening provisions for access to justice and health-related compensation for citizens.

The report evaluates Spain's progress in combating IUU fishing from 2020 to 2021. It finds that Spain maintains a high level of implementation, characterized by 100% catch certificate verification and sophisticated IT tools, although some indicators like the number of vessel inspections and reported infringements have slightly declined. The document recommends that the European Commission increase transparency by publishing all Member State biennial reports and conducting public audits to ensure data accuracy and harmonisation across the EU.

The report analyzes the economic and environmental consequences of delaying the liberalisation of Poland's 10H distance rule for onshore wind energy. It finds that each year of delay reduces potential installed capacity by 1.5 GW and increases cumulative electricity costs between 2026 and 2030 by approximately 6-7 billion PLN. The study highlights that while the proposed government changes could unlock up to 27 GW of additional potential and increase available land to 7.1% of Poland's area, administrative barriers remain. Faster implementation of these changes would reduce CO2 emissions by 5 million tonnes per year of acceleration and decrease reliance on energy imports and fossil fuels.

The letter calls for the final adoption of a proposed EU law to break the link between food production and deforestation, emphasizing that forests are critical for climate change mitigation and biodiversity. It highlights that a small number of commodities—including cattle, cocoa, coffee, maize, palm oil, soy, rubber, and wood—drive the majority of forest destruction. The authors argue that mandatory rules for product origin and production checks are necessary to ensure corporate accountability and prevent human rights abuses against Indigenous Peoples.

ClientEarth warns that the UK government is in breach of the Environment Act 2021 due to missed deadlines for environmental targets and the Environmental Principles Policy Statement. The organization argues that these delays, combined with the 'sunset' provisions of the Retained EU Law Bill, risk a governance gap where EU-derived environmental protections are revoked before domestic replacements are fully operational.

The briefing argues that the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill could weaken UK pesticide regulation by granting ministers broad powers to revoke or amend EU-derived laws via secondary legislation with limited scrutiny. It highlights risks such as the 'sunset' clause causing accidental law expiry and the potential shift from a 'hazard-based' to a 'risk-based' authorisation approach. Specifically, the document warns that the Bill could be used to relax restrictions on neonicotinoids, contradicting the UK's 25 Year Environment Plan and the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement.

The letter asserts that the Energy Charter Treaty's modernisation process is insufficient, as it maintains investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanisms and protects fossil fuel assets for at least a decade in the EU and UK. It notes that several EU Member States, representing over 70% of the EU population, have already announced their withdrawal. The authors urge the European Commission to facilitate a coordinated EU withdrawal to avoid legal limbo and prevent fossil fuel investors from hindering climate action.

ClientEarth argues that the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill creates a 'cliff-edge' by providing for the automatic revocation of all retained EU law (REUL) by the end of 2023. The briefing identifies five fundamental flaws: the potential loss of critical protections for species, air, and water quality due to administrative neglect; legislative chaos and business uncertainty; the undermining of the rule of law through the use of secondary legislation without parliamentary oversight; the politicization of the judiciary; and a built-in deregulatory bias that may breach international obligations like the Aarhus Convention and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

ClientEarth recommends that the new EU Framework for Forest Monitoring and Strategic Plans explicitly guarantee Aarhus Convention rights, establish a common EU-wide remote sensing data platform, and align with the Nature Restoration Law and Deforestation Regulation to improve forest governance and enforcement.