Stay Ahead: Navigate Policies, Regulations & Standards with Confidence

Nitrate compliance links environmental law with agricultural practice and subsidy eligibility.

Organic certification is a market access condition backed by inspections and withdrawal risk.

Vehicle emissions compliance combines technical standards with inspection-based enforcement.

Australia’s Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards (ASRS) are the national sustainability disclosure standards issued by the Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB). The first two standards—AASB S1 (general sustainability disclosures, voluntary) and AASB S2 (climate-related disclosures, mandatory for in-scope entities)—are designed to align closely with the ISSB’s global baseline (IFRS S1/IFRS S2) while incorporating limited Australia-specific modifications. Reporting is being phased in under the Corporations Act 2001, starting with the largest entities for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2025.

Climate Active is an Australian Government program that provides a voluntary pathway for entities to make credible “carbon neutral” claims through Climate Active certification. Certification is awarded when an entity reaches carbon neutrality within an agreed emissions boundary for a specific certification type, supported by public reporting and validation/assurance steps.

Local Law 86 of 2005 (LL86) amended the New York City Charter to require many City-funded capital projects (new buildings, additions, and substantial reconstructions) to meet green building standards at least as stringent as LEED, typically targeting LEED Silver (or LEED Certified for certain occupancy groups). It also layers in minimum energy-cost reductions (for larger projects) and water-use reduction requirements.

Australia’s OEI Act 2021 establishes a Commonwealth licensing regime for offshore renewables and offshore transmission infrastructure, prohibiting regulated offshore activities without the relevant licence. Projects typically progress through staged licences (including feasibility then commercial), with the Offshore Infrastructure Registrar administering licensing and the Offshore Infrastructure Regulator overseeing WHS, infrastructure integrity and environmental management. A management plan is a central compliance gate, requiring stakeholder consultation and evidence-based risk controls, and may need revision as projects change. Non-compliance risk concentrates in sequencing errors (starting works too early), scope drift without plan updates, and weak risk documentation.

Australia’s EPBC Act requires federal referral, assessment and approval for “controlled actions” likely to significantly impact Matters of National Environmental Significance or the Commonwealth marine area. A central compliance rule is sequencing: do not start works until approval (or a clear decision that approval is not required). Approved projects must comply with legally binding conditions, supported by evidence-grade monitoring and documentation; infringement notices and court pathways apply for breaches. A major reform package was passed on 28 November 2025 and is being implemented in stages, strengthening enforcement architecture and raising compliance expectations. Most failures stem from early works, condition breaches, or weak compliance evidence.

Tourism sustainability is increasingly regulated through licensing and environmental conditions.

Green claims law turns sustainability messaging into a compliance issue.