INTRODUCTION Contributed by: Tove Andersson, Anders Linnerborg, Sara Eriksson and Ellen Lewin, Setterwalls Advokatbyrå AB
Setterwalls Advokatbyrå AB PO Box 4501 203 20 Malmo Sweden
Tel: +46 10 690 04 00 Fax: +46 10 690 04 70 Email: malmo@setterwalls.se Web: www.setterwalls.se
Global Overview The year 2025 has been marked by significant global events that have had profound implications for envi- ronmental law and policy. As predicted in the 2024 edition of the guide, the elections of 2024 have had a significant impact on environmental policy worldwide in 2025. Not least in the US, where several measures have altered incentives for climate action and sustain- ability, including the US second withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change, the suspension of large renewable energy projects and the imposi- tion of tariffs on primary materials, such as steel and aluminum, disrupting global value chains for clean technologies and affecting international trade more broadly. Similar to the last three years, ongoing armed conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine have during 2025 continued to shape the environmental and energy landscape and not only caused immense human suffering but generated substantial environmental harm, including widespread pollution and long-term ecological dam- age. At the same time, numerous natural disasters and extreme weather events worldwide have brought devastating consequences for both humans and the environment. To recognise and address climate change, there have been several efforts on a global level during 2025. Examples include the United Nations declaring 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation to raise global awareness about the critical role of glaciers in the climate system and the CBD COP16 reaching agreements on the implementation of the Kunming- Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). At an EU level, the EU Commission has pursued a broad
agenda to address climate change, promote sustain- ability and improve resource efficiency, reflected in a series of regulations, directives and ongoing negotia- tions. Examples include the Clean Industrial Deal, the Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and the Chemi- cal Industry Action Plan (CIAP), to name a few. At the same time, global energy innovation has continued apace, and major energy projects using various types of technologies have continued to be developed and operational during 2025. While it is evident that 2025 has met resistance to climate action in some parts of the world, it can be concluded that sustainability and the climate remain critical and urgent global priorities and continue to spur innovation and regulatory development around the world. Some frequent themes that have recurred in relation to sustainability issues in 2025 include decar- bonisation, waste management and biodiversity. Development Concerning Decarbonisation and In 2025, discussions regarding renewable energy and the decarbonation of industries continued. While the US government has shifted its focus away from renewable energy, other large countries such as China and India have significantly increased their expansion of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. The European Commission has continued to have a clear focus on decarbonisation and developing renewable energy sources, including the adoption of the Clean Industrial Deal as well as issuing recommen- dations and guidance for EU member states to encour- age innovative technologies and forms of renewable energy deployment. Changes have also been made to Clean Energy Introduction
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