Baker & McKenzie Climate Change Practice

As governments and industry take steps towards regulating greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on the environment, Baker & McKenzie continues to work with clients to balance the risks and opportunities climate change presents to their business.

For more than ten years, our dedicated team of over 60 lawyers have worked on numerous pioneering deals, including writing the first carbon contracts, setting up the first carbon funds and advising on the first structured carbon derivative transactions. We continue to be the adviser of choice on market developments advising on the first REDD project, post-2012 carbon funds and legal regimes around carbon capture and storage. From governments to financial and multilateral institutions — including the World Bank, EU, and UN — we continue to advise the world’s climate change policy and market makers.

Our firm has been at the forefront of global climate change law. And with deep local roots in 80 percent of the world economy, we understand how it interacts with existing domestic policies. Our fluent knowledge enables us to help regulators and institutions develop tools to build capacity and market infrastructure, including the United Nations Environment Program’s CDM legal guidebook, the EU Commission’s carbon trading registry, the CDM and JI Rulebooks (found at www.cdmrulebook.org and www.jirulebook.org respectively) as well as the Emissions Trading and New Energy Global Law Guide (www.emissionstradingandnewenergy.com).

We employ a holistic approach to carbon transactions, combining our capabilities in securities, finance, tax, M&A and public law to ensure efficient solutions for clients. Our team of dedicated lawyers seamlessly collaborate across borders and practices, delivering innovative yet pragmatic advice on voluntary carbon and joint implementation markets. From development and financing of carbon projects, creation and purchase of voluntary emissions reductions to carbon credit actions, acquisitions and other transactions, we help first-to-market clients on creative and pioneering deals.

Our team has unparalleled legal knowledge on renewable and clean energy projects, from ethanol and biodiesel, to wind, solar and other renewables. Our unique insights and industry experience help clients efficiently and confidently address all aspects of project development and finance. With 71 offices in 44 countries, we advise developers, lenders and investors on the most intricate and market-defining deals in established and emerging markets around the world.

We have assisted on the most number of climate change deals around the world, earning us the Top Legal Advisor on CDM/JI award from Bloomberg New Energy Finance in 2007-2009. Ours is the only firm repeatedly recognized by Environmental Finance as a legal leader in the carbon market, naming us the Best Law Firm for EU Emissions Trading and Best Law Firm for Kyoto Project Credits in 2006. With our exhaustive knowledge and successful track record, Chambers Global Directory of Leading Lawyers 2008 ranks our practice at the top.

Across markets and borders, we seamlessly facilitate and advise on climate change and renewable energy matters, including:
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects
Joint Implementation (JI) projects
Cap and trade schemes
Secondary market transactions
Carbon funds
Carbon M&A and IPOs
Structured carbon transactions
Carbon exchanges, auctions and market infrastructure
Assigned Amount Unit (AAU) trading
Land Use Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF)
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD)
Regulatory counselling and advocacy
Carbon tax and transfer pricing
Carbon capture and storage
Capacity building
Carbon disputes