Regulations Listing: Environmental Sustainability

REGULATORY RADAR - New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that she plans to make the nation's electricity 100 percent renewable by 2035. New Zealand, a country of 4.7 million, already gets more than 80 percent of its electricity from green sources, making it an attainable goal.

REGULATORY RADAR - The United States introduced a tax reform bill on November 2, 2017 that would cut tax benefits applicable for the wind and solar industry by one-third.

REGULATORY RADAR - On November 9, 2017, European Union negotiators agreed to a compromise on carbon market reforms. The compromise would significantly boost carbon prices and adjust the market to meet more ambitious climate goals in the next decade.

REGULATORY RADAR - On December 12, 2017, Washington state and California joined a carbon pledge to combat climate change in our environment. Both states joined five nations to step up the use of a price on carbon dioxide emissions as an economic policy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

REGULATORY RADAR - On November 23, 2017, the European Union and the Swiss government agreed to link their emissions trading systems in the first carbon trading agreement since the Paris climate accord. Linking emissions trading systems expands opportunities for cutting green house gas (GHG) emissions and improving energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.

REGULATORY RADAR - On January 9, 2018, the United Kingdom banned the manufacturing of products containing microbeads, often used in cosmetics and personal care products, as a step toward diminishing the amount of plastic washed into the ocean environment.

REGULATORY RADAR - The United States announced that it would allow new offshore oil and gas drilling in nearly all coastal waters. On January 4, 2018, the five-year plan was announced, which would make 90 percent of the nation’s outer continental shelf environment open to drilling and energy projects.

REGULATORY RADAR - On January 29, 2018, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed an Executive Order mandating that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Board of Public Utilities begin the process of reentering the state into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

REGULATORY RADAR - California is investing $2.5 billion to boost the supply of zero-emission vehicles and charging and refueling stations in California.

REGULATORY RADAR - On May 9, 2018, California became the first state to require all new homes to have solar panels. The California Energy Commission passed the measure with a 5-0 vote.

REGULATORY RADAR - On April 12, 2018, the New Zealand government announced that it would no longer grant permits for offshore oil and gas exploration. The ban will apply to new permits and won’t affect the 22 permits that were previously granted.

REGULATORY RADAR - The United Kingdom introduced a bill that will ensure houses built in the coming years are electric vehicle ready. According to the Road to Zero, a comprehensive package of laws introduced on July 9, 2018, all new homes should have a charge point available.