Mintz is one of two US law firms invited by University of Oxford to serve as an expert pro bono contributor to its Climate Policy Monitor, an annual report on global climate regulations which launched today. Including a granular survey of 30 major countries’ net zero implementation (G20+), the research gives the most detailed view yet of how economic rules align—or not—to climate goals.

The study comes at a critical moment as the world confronts a persistent “implementation gap” between climate targets and results. While countries, companies, and other actors continue to set net zero targets—including a 23 percent rise in company net zero targets over the last year—global emissions also continue to rise. As countries look to submit new pledges under the Paris Agreement next year, it is vital they underpin top-level targets with concrete regulations and policies to ensure implementation. 

At the same time, a second Trump Administration has promised to roll back climate policies in the US, meaning companies may face a fragmented regulatory landscape, and that policies and regulations introduced at the state level and by the rest of the world are even more vital for achieving net zero globally.

Mintz’s ESG Co-chair Jacob Hupart, along with attorneys Ellen Shapiro and Will McKitterick, collaborated on Mintz’s submission, focusing on three key areas of US federal government regulation: climate-related disclosure, transition planning, and public procurement. Their analysis will inform the United Nations Secretary General’s Taskforce on Net Zero Policy and is being featured at the November 2024 UN Climate Conference.

The Monitor’s rich data, open-access at climatepolicymonitor.ox.ac.uk, show specific areas where regulators can strengthen and align economic rules to create a level playing field and enable an environment to achieve net zero. The Monitor will be expanded to further domains and jurisdictions next year.

The Net Zero Regulation and Policy Hub is a research initiative based at the University of Oxford that aims to build the evidence base and the capacity to advance net zero regulation and policy that is effective, rigorous, and equitable. It is a collaboration between Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government and the Oxford Sustainable Law Programme (the latter is a joint initiative of the Oxford Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment and Oxford's Law Faculty). It is part of the Oxford Net Zero strategic cluster. It was launched in October 2023 as a direct output of the Oxford Martin Programme on Net Zero Regulation and Policy with a £1m strategic funding grant from the Oxford Martin School. It is also supported by the EU Horizon ACHIEVE Project.

About Mintz

Mintz is a litigation powerhouse and business accelerator serving leaders in life sciences, private equity, energy, and technology. The world’s most innovative companies trust Mintz to provide expert advice, protect and monetize their IP, negotiate deals, source financing, and solve complex legal challenges. The firm has over 600 attorneys across offices in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Washington, DC, San Francisco, San Diego, and Toronto.