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Gathering at a pivotal moment, the 28th Conference of the Parties unfolded against the backdrop of projections that 2023 is poised to be recorded as the warmest year on record. The accelerating impacts of climate change served as a stark reminder of the urgency addressed throughout the conference.

Baker McKenzie’s Global Climate Change practice was on the ground in Dubai, continuing a decade’s long commitment to be actively engaged in understanding how UNFCCC negotiations create opportunities for clients, and drawing from our observations, we’ve compiled a concise report outlining our perspective on the outcomes at COP28.

Author

Andrew Hedges is a climate change and clean energy lawyer based in London. He works on a range of transactions driven by the ongoing transition to a low carbon economy. His expertise spans the development of renewable energy projects, energy efficiency, sustainable energy procurement (including long term corporate PPAs) and carbon finance. Andrew also provides regulatory advice impacting on the design of a range of energy transactions. Andrew is ranked as a Band 1 individual by Chambers Global.

Author

Renata Campetti Amaral joined the firm in 2002 and became a partner in 2013. She is the head of the firm’s Climate Change, Environmental Law and Sustainability group in Brazil, and the leader of Ablfs McKfnzif’s global climate change group in Latin America. Is also the coordinator of the sustainability initiatives conducted by the office’s B-Green Committee. Renata assists the major players in the Brazilian market in Nature-bases Solution (NbS) projects, transaction of carbon credits, implementation of decarbonization strategies and carbon-related advocacy and regulatory matters. Renata leads several of the largest environmental and regularization cases in the country. She has extensive experience in sustainability matters, as well as in managing crises and negotiating with stakeholders. Advises on negotiating with authorities; judicial and administrative litigation; reviewing environmental aspects of institutions and financial operations; drafting environmental provisions in contracts and other commercial operations. Renata has extensive experience in dealing with environmental management, legal auditing and other organizational practices; regulatory and institutional analysis and environmental control; negotiation and implementation of environmental remediation plans; environmental licensing; legal aspects of biodiversity protection; environmental crisis management; development of preventive policies and strategies for companies; negotiation and drafting of contracts for the purchase and sale of carbon credits and acting in transactions related to various aspects of the energy transition.
*Trench Rossi Watanabe and Baker McKenzie have executed a strategic cooperation agreement for consulting on foreign law.

Author

Borys has been a partner of Baker McKenzie since 1995. In 2008 Borys was appointed managing partner of the Gulf offices (including Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh and Bahrain), coordinating the opening of the Abu Dhabi and Doha offices and the merger in the UAE with Habib Al Mulla in July 2013. Borys is head of the Investigations, Compliance & Ethics practice in the Middle East and is co-chair of the Investigations, Compliance & Ethics Steering Committee for the EMEA region. He regularly advises clients across various industries on a broad range of compliance-related matters, including anti-bribery policies and programs. Borys has participated in whistleblower interviews and has led investigations relating to allegations of fraud, embezzlement, bribery and breach of trade sanctions. He also works with in house legal teams of multi-national clients to deliver tailored trainings on anti-bribery issues and trade compliance matters and is increasingly involved in assisting clients in the structuring and implementation of comprehensive, risk-based compliance programs. Borys' practice also extends to advising multi-national clients on foreign direct investments, including joint ventures and strategic alliances, the structuring of offset programs for defense contractors, mergers and acquisitions (including privatizations) and general corporate counseling. Borys has practiced in numerous jurisdictions over his career. Prior to moving to the Gulf, Borys was the managing partner in the Prague (Czech Republic) and Kyiv (Ukraine) offices of Baker McKenzie, spending approximately eight years in each office location. He started his legal career in New York.

Author

Daniel De Deo is a partner in the Firm's Transactional Practice Group and serves on the Firm's Steering Committee for Global Climate Change. Daniel began his career with the Firm as a summer associate in the Chicago office in 2008. He previously worked on secondment with Bank of America Merrill Lynch in London as legal counsel to their carbon trading desk.

Author

David Hackett advises senior management, legal departments and boards of major corporations and nonprofits on compliance, risk, environmental and sustainability matters. He has exceptional experience managing US and international compliance and environmental projects, including the evaluation and development of effective compliance and sustainability programs. He also has extensive experience litigating major civil and criminal environmental matters. David sits on multiple nonprofit boards and additionally advises many civic and nonprofit organizations across the globe. Following his tenure with the Environmental Enforcement Division of the US Department of Justice, David joined the Firm where he has played a formative role in the establishment of the Firm's compliance, environmental, climate and ESG practices. At Baker McKenzie, David has served as the managing partner of North America, a member of the Global Executive Committee, and Chicago office managing partner. He has also been the North America Chair of both the Compliance Practice Group and the Banking, Finance and Major Projects Practice Group.

Author

Adam Farlow is the Global Chair of our Capital Markets Practice Group. He is a New York and English qualified capital markets partner based in London. He has extensive experience in US securities laws and transaction management. He has been elected as a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and serves on the Council of the American Bar Association Section of International Law.