What we do in Asia

We are supporting an accelerated just transition to green energy in Asia: expanding access to energy, scaling renewable energy and transitioning from high-emitting power generation. We are working to create a regulatory environment for cheaper and faster renewable energy development and to design credible and effective coal transition mechanisms.

Finance is crucial to the energy transition and an estimated $13+ trillion is required in Asia Pacific this decade alone. 

We are a partner of the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition, helping green China’s overseas investment. We supported studies which contributed to China’s decision to no longer invest in coal power in the BRI, and facilitated the Green Development Guidance policy package.

We are working to provide practical guidance to the financial sector to support coal power transition in Asia.

We work extensively with institutional investors and investor groups on the legal framework for green finance, corporate engagements on climate change and how to avoid greenwashing in the financial sector.

We work across our global offices and network to support and strengthen international cooperation on climate and the environment.

We worked with the ASEAN Working Group on Social Forestry to develop the ASEAN Guiding Principles for Effective Social Forestry Legal Frameworks, to help strengthen national social forestry laws and governance.

We are an implementing partner of the EU-China Environment Project, established in 2018 to support ministerial and vice-president level policy dialogue between the EU and China on the environment and green economy.

Learn more about EU-China Environment project

We also work with China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED), a senior international advisory body to the State Council, on various initiatives.

Climate change presents significant financial risks and opportunities, engaging directors’ duties and corporate disclosure obligations. Corporate law provides an important legal framework for strengthened climate action in the private sector.

We work with companies, boards and investors to understand and embed climate change in corporate governance and strategy.

We have worked closely with the Supreme People’s Court and Procuratorate in China to facilitate trainings, case forums, international workshops and international comparative research. We also support international efforts to strengthen environmental and climate adjudication through judicial convenings and conferences, including in Southeast Asia.

The legal profession will play an important role in addressing climate change and nature loss. ClientEarth’s, legal experts, qualified across all major legal specialisms, are uniquely placed to support the profession in rising to this challenge.

We contribute to continuing professional development programmes on climate and ESG law. We support university law school clinics providing opportunities for law students to gain exposure to climate, environmental and energy law.

We work in support of financial and energy regulators across the region to strengthen the regulatory framework for sustainable finance and clean energy.

Climate and nature legal frameworks are critical in realising international and national policy objectives. Our specialist lawyers work in support of drafting and implementing climate, energy and environmental law and policy. We also support the development of systems and standards to reduce the climate and environmental impacts of international investment and trade.

We work to increase engagements between governments, civil society and IPLCs representatives through research, legal analysis, training, and awareness raising. We hope to help IPLCs achieve sustainable livelihoods as well as to protect natural ecosystems and biodiversity.