Climate change, anticorruption top agenda at ABA Environmental Summit of the Americas in Mexico City

The world's leading environmental lawyers from across the Americas North, South, Central and Caribbean countries will gather to discuss environmental and energy issues at the Environmental Summit of the Americas, Jan. 15-16 at the Hyatt Regency Polanco in Mexico City.

Keynote speakers on Wednesday include José Sarukhán Kermez of the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity, Maria Amparo Martinez Arroyo of the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change and ABA President Judy Perry Martinez.

Program highlights include:

- "Addressing Global Climate Change Issues Across the Americas" - The impacts of climate change do not stop at international borders. In the Americas, the nations who have contributed the least to climate change will be among the ones most impacted by it. This panel discussion brings together thought leaders from throughout the Americas to discuss how local and regional efforts can be coordinated to address greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

- "Anticorruption, Social Integrity and Parent Company Liability in Environmental Projects" - Investors and developers increasingly need to ensure that anticorruption and social integrity policies are in place before embarking on international energy, infrastructure and mining projects. Failure to institute such policies runs the risk of legal peril, not just for the project companies, but also for parent and other related entities. This session will explore anti-corruption and social integrity policies from a variety of perspectives and share measures that parent companies can take to protect themselves in this area.

- "Plastics National and International Approaches" - Pollution and environmental harms associated with plastics has been receiving international scrutiny given their universal prevalence, high durability and impacts on the environment. Many jurisdictions are now implementing legislation to reduce plastic consumption and better control plastic waste. This session will consider and compare approaches taken by jurisdictions in North, Central and South America.

- "Contaminated Sites and Remediation" - All industrialized jurisdictions have issues arising from contamination as a result of industrial operations. This session will address domestic approaches for addressing contaminated sites and will consider how, in the context of commercial and corporate transactions, buyers can best protect themselves from current and future liability.

Published: Thu, Jan 09, 2020