Tuesday 17 June - online
12.00 pm Marine Group: Offshore Renewables and Marine Mammals: Embedding Science into Legal Frameworks for Offshore Wind Development
Offshore wind is a cornerstone of the UK’s clean energy strategy, with ambitious targets underpinned by the Energy Act 2023 and other recent regulatory developments. As projects increase and as they begin to extend into deeper, more biodiverse and less-studied waters, environmental challenges are intensifying - particularly for mobile, acoustically sensitive marine mammals. This session will explore how the UK’s legal and policy frameworks are evolving to meet the dual imperative of scaling up offshore wind while protecting and restoring marine biodiversity, using marine mammals as a case study. It will consider how scientific data, ecological uncertainty and environmental regulation intersect in this evolving area. Key themes include the role of marine mammal protection under UK and assimilated EU law (including the Habitats Directive), recent developments such as the Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package, and how law and policy are responding to the need for more strategic, science-led and adaptive approaches.
Chair: Helen Mitcheson - Director Cet Law, UKELA Trustee and Convenor Marine Group
Speakers:
- Ross Culloch - Freelance Marine Mammal Specialist
- Becca Hamilton - Senior Marine Consultant, RSK Environment Ltd
- Natalia Lopez - Lead Strategic Specialist , Orsted
2.30 pm Environmental Litigation Group: Would a combined wildlife and environment court benefit the UK's environment and wildlife?
This event brings together distinguished speakers and international expertise to discuss how a specialised court could improve the UK’s approach to addressing environmental damage and wildlife crime. This is an opportunity to engage directly with experts and contribute to the conversation.
- Insights into Uganda’s dedicated Wildlife and Environment Court (the only such court in Africa);
- International perspectives on the successes and challenges of specialised courts;
- Strategies and lessons learned from addressing wildlife crime and environmental damage;
- A discussion of innovative approaches and best practices that could inform the UK’s legal framework
Chair: Jill Crawford - Senior Environment & Planning Solicitor, Southern Water and Co-convenor UKELA Environmental Litigation Group
Speakers:
- Professor Angus Nurse - Professor of Law and Environmental Justice, Anglia Ruskin University Legal Regulatory and Criminological Research
- Stephen Hockman KC - Barrister, Six Pump Court
- Gladys Kamasanyu - Chief Magistrate at Uganda Wildlife Court
5.00pm Noise & Nuisance: Contemporary noise issues
Chair: Professor Francis McManus - Honorary Professor of Law at University of Stirling, UKELA Noise & Nuisance Group Convenor
Speakers:
- John Stewart - Chair, UK Noise Association
- Val Weedon - Honorary President, UK Noise Association
- Nigel Rodgers - UK Noise Association, Founder of Pipedown
Wednesday 18 June – online
9.30am Water: Recent issues in the regulation and oversight of the water industry in the UK
A workshop covering some of the issues which keep those involved in the regulation and oversight of the water industry up at night with questions from the floor moderated by the Chair.
Chair: Nick Ostrowski, Barrister, 6 Pump Court and Convenor of UKELA Water Group
Speakers:
- Helen Wakeham - Director of Water, Environment Agency
- Neil Langhorn - Head of Strategy and Analysis, Environmental Standards Scotland
12.00pm Nature Conservation (split into 2 sessions with a 5 minute gap)
Chair: Richard Barlow - Partner Browne Jacobson and Co-convenor UKELA Nature Conservation Group
Part 1: The use of AI in nature conservation (75 mins)
Speakers
- Dr Carlos Abrahams BSc PgC MSc FCIEEM - Technical Director of Ecoacoustics
- Dr Peter Fretwell - Geographic Information Officer, British Antarctic Survey
- Dr Cameron Trotter - Machine Learning Research Scientist, British Antarctic Survey
- Paul Collins - Senior Associate, Ashford LLP
Part 2: Update on the implications of the proposals contained in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill for nature conservation (45 mins)
Speakers
- David Tyldesley (FRTPI, FCIEEM, FRSA)
2.30pm EDI Forum (open to all UKELA members)
5.00pm Governance and Devolution Group (GDG): Environmental law and governance across the UK
This session will provide an update on environmental governance across the UK and draw out some important legal, governance and devolution themes. Organised by UKELA's Governance and Devolution Group, together with UKELA’s Groups for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, our panel is at the forefront of developments and will speak on the four countries and cross-cutting issues with time for questions.
Chair: Ruth Chambers - Senior Fellow, Green Alliance (chairing and speaking)
Speakers
- Annie Smith - Head of Nature Policy & Casework, RSPB Cymru
- Professor Colin Reid - Emeritus Professor of Environmental law, University of Dundee
- Ben Matson - Principal Lawyer Northern Ireland, OEP
- David Baldock - Senior Fellow, Institute for European Environmental Policy
7.00pm Student Advisers (open to all UKELA Student members) - Emma Mody, Tanya Bellows, Archie Adams, Sienna Penson
Thursday 19 June – no formal activity
Delegates have the option to arrive in Bristol on Thursday evening for sponsor drinks and networking (6.30pm). We particularly encourage those who are the next generation of practitioners in environmental law to meet those already established in the sector. Come and have a drink on us, courtesy of 39 Essex who are sponsoring the evening. All are welcome - please book your accommodation to include Thursday as required.
Day 3 Friday 20 June – in person (hybrid)
9.30 am Registration with tea/coffee, networking with sponsors
10.40 am Introduction and welcome
- Simone Davidson - UKELA Trustee and Conference Chair, Head of Lexis+®UK Built Environment Group and Lexis+®UK Environment
- Gareth de Graaff - Executive Director UKELA
- Prof. Richard Pancost - Professor of Biogeochemistry, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol
11.10 am Opening Address: Warren Percival - Head of Business Development, RSK Group and outgoing UKELA Chair
11.20 am PLENARY 1
Planning Reform
Planning Reform: what does this mean for the environment, developments and critical infrastructure
The new Labour Government came to power with an agenda to get Britain building again with a target of building 1.5 million homes in the next 5 years as well as consenting 150 national infrastructure projects. At the heart of this reform is the Planning and Infrastructure Bill which is likely to be on the statute books by the Autumn given the speed which it is going through the approval process. This session will discuss the Bill together with the implications of this on the planning and environment sectors, the development industry as well as infrastructure such as energy generation.
Topics to be covered will include:
- Environmental Delivery Plans – cause and effect
- Strategic and important protected sites and species
- Effect on our international/ European obligations to those site
- Nature Restoration Fund – could this lead to larger bolder recovery schemes?
- How will this tie in with strategic level planning and devolution – what is the impact on the devolved nations?
- Environmental regression – Brexit pledge and EA 2021 principle
- NSIPs and how critical infrastructure can be delivered
Chair: Claire Petricca-Riding - Head of Planning and Environment, Irwin Mitchell LLP; Co-convenor UKELA Planning & Sustainable Development Group
Speakers
- Odette Chalaby - Barrister, Landmark Chambers
- Alexa Culver - Legal Counsel, RSK Wilding
- Neil Beamsley - Group Head of Biodiversity, Bellway Homes
- James Stevens MRTPI - Director for Cities, Home Builders Federation
12.30pm Lunch and networking with sponsors
1.30 pm PLENARY 2
PFAS and the environment
PFAS and the environment: impacts on transactions, development projects and emerging trends in litigation
This session will cover a basic overview of the impact from historic PFAS contamination in the UK focussing on how this is impacting development projects, M&A activity, as well as discussion on the latest trends in litigation around PFAS contamination. Come and hear from our expert panel on the quantum of the issue at hand, trends in litigation, and how PFAS is being managed practically with clients. Our session will also be followed up with a PFAS drop-in session during the networking break that will provide an opportunity to speak with panellists, solution providers, and academics to further debate the issue at hand.
Chair: Pippa Neill - News Editor, ENDS Report
Speakers
- Charlotte Armstrong - Senior Associate Solicitor, Leigh Day
- Richard Colin - Principal Geo-environmental Engineer & RSK Geoscience’s Technical Lead for PFAS, Microplastics and Emerging Contaminants
- James Burton - Barrister, 39 Essex
- James Alexander - Lockton
2.45 pm Break, networking with sponsors
3.15 pm Keynote address: Tessa Khan - Executive Director, Uplift - international climate change lawyer and campaigner
4.00 pm AGM
4.30 pm PLENARY 3
Waste & Circular Economy
Extended producer responsibility: driving the circular economy through innovation and global collaboration
The plenary will explore the principles of extended producer responsibility (EPR) in advancing the circular economy, focusing on UK practices and future opportunities. It will discuss international perspectives on plastic waste management, including global agreements and the influence of international EPR schemes on UK policies. Additionally, it will analyse the criteria for end of waste status with practical examples from industry and its impact on recycling markets, emphasizing strategies for material reuse and innovation.
Chair: Dr Anna Willetts - Partner, Gunnercooke and Co-convenor UKELA Waste Group
Speakers
- Samantha Riggs - Barrister, 25 Bedford Row Chambers
- Liz Gray - Senior Managing Consultant, Ramboll
- Jenny Scott - Solicitor, Environment Agency
- Fred Stinchcombe - Regional Manager – Production SW, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK
5.45 pm Close
7.00 pm Drinks reception at the Wills Memorial Hall, Reception Room
8:00pm Dinner at the Wills Memorial Hall, the Great Hall followed by dancing
Day 4 Saturday 21 June – in person (hybrid)
8.30 am Registration for Saturday day delegates
.jpg)
9.00 am PLENARY 4
Sustainability Reporting
Can new sustainability reporting regimes around the world drive corporates to deliver results that will mitigate the impacts of the climate and biodiversity crises, or will business as usual prevail?
The session will provide an overview of various reporting regimes, including the UK's TCFD, the international ISSB standards, the US's SEC climate-related disclosure standards, and the EU's CSRD and Omnibus Regulation revisions. It will explore what makes a good sustainability report, focusing on what in-scope companies should aim for and what users and regulators want to see to ensure informative and comparable reports. Additionally, it will address common challenges for preparers, such as data management and streamlining reporting efforts, with insights from a multinational company subject to multiple reporting regimes.
Chair: Becky Clissmann - Sustainability Counsel, Ashurst LLP; Co-convenor UKELA Climate Change & Energy Group
Speakers
- Ruth Knox - Partner and Global Co-Chair of the ESG & Sustainable Finance Practice, Paul Hastings
- Victoria Taylor - CEO, Flag and Vice Chair of Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability
- Anna-Marie Slot - Co-founder, Transition Value Partners
10.15 am Mentoring scheme
10.30 am Break, networking with sponsors
11.00 am Keynote address: Estelle Dehon KC - leading public law barrister at the forefront of climate litigation in the UK at Cornerstone Barristers, and UKELA Trustee
11.45 am Case Law Update
- Stephanie Bruce-Smith - Barrister Francis Taylor Building (The expansion of environmental law)
- Alex Shattock - Barrister Landmark Chambers (Aarhus Convention)
12.45 pm LUNCH and sponsor networking
1.45 pm Special Address - International Perspective: Jonathan Nwagbaraocha - Chair American Bar Association Section of Environmental Energy and Resources (ABA SEER); Corporate Counsel - Environmental Sustainability, Cisco Systems, Inc
2.30 pm PLENARY 5
Climate risk and legal interventions
Innovative legal approaches to climate change
The session will discuss groundbreaking approaches to mitigating climate change though law and legal practice. It will start by considering frontiers in climate litigation, in particular the tension between regulation and litigation. We will then turn to an exploration of the role of the fiduciary duties could play in promoting climate action from the financial sector. The final part of the session will consider the role that the law societies and bar associations can play in training lawyers and mitigating risks.
Chair: Prof. Benoit Mayer - Professor of Climate Law, Reading University
Speakers
- Emily Morison - Project Lawyer, International Bar Association
- Maurits Dolmans - Senior Counsel, Cleary Gottlieb LLP
- Jessica Crow - Hoffmann Fellow in Global Climate Governance, World Economic Forum; Fellow and Affiliated Lecturer, University of Cambridge
3.45 pm Closing address, Farewell and thanks – Warren Percival, Head of Business Development, RSK Group and outgoing Chair, UKELA
Book your place