Sustainability

Netherlands To Implement MKI Protocol 5.0 And A2 Weighting Set In GWW Procurement

From July 2026 Rijkswaterstaat will apply MKI Protocol 5.0 and, from 2027, a new European A2 weighting set in Dutch civil-works procurement to change how environmental impacts are calculated and scored in tenders. These changes are expected to roughly double MKI values and shift the relative ranking of sustainable design options, so contractors must update tools, data and bid strategies to remain competitive in GWW tenders.

25 May 2026, 15:47rijkswaterstaat.nlNetherlands

Rhode Island Senate Engrosses S2800 on Energy Storage Systems at Abandoned or Contaminated Properties

In May 2026 the Rhode Island Senate engrossed S2800, a bill that would treat energy storage systems on abandoned or contaminated properties as permitted uses by right and state that they are not deemed to have negative environmental impacts. If passed by the House and signed into law, this change could ease siting and permitting for energy storage projects on disused or contaminated land in Rhode Island, influencing site selection, zoning strategy, and risk assessments for developers and operators.

25 May 2026, 15:35webserver.rilegislature.govUnited States

UNFCCC Secretariat Report on Inputs for Article 6.8 Non‑Market Approaches Work Programme Review (FCCC/SBSTA/2026/3)

In May 2026 the UNFCCC secretariat released report FCCC/SBSTA/2026/3 compiling inputs for the 2026 review of the Paris Agreement Article 6.8 non‑market approaches work programme mandated by Decision 4/CMA.3. While it does not create direct obligations for companies, it will inform how governments design future non‑market climate cooperation instruments—such as policy packages, finance and technology support—which could reshape national climate policy and related reporting expectations later this decade.

25 May 2026, 15:35docs.un.orgGlobal

EU EESC Adopts Opinion on Horizon Europe 2028–2034 Framework Proposals

The European Economic and Social Committee has adopted its opinion on the European Commission’s Horizon Europe 2028–2034 framework proposals, backing a €175 billion research and innovation budget while pushing for stronger focus on EU competitiveness, clean technologies, water resilience, and inclusive participation. This opinion will inform Council and Parliament negotiations on the final programme design, signalling likely priorities around impact-driven funding, closer links to the European Competitiveness Fund, safeguards on dual-use research and intellectual property, and better access for SMEs, universities, and vulnerable groups.

25 May 2026, 15:28data.consilium.europa.euEuropean Union

European Space Agency (ESA) Hosts REACH Workshop On Space Chemical Compliance In The EU

On 2 June 2026, ESA will host a free REACH workshop in the Netherlands to brief the European space sector on chemical-compliance risks and regulatory developments affecting key substances such as PFAS, Chromium(VI), hydrazine and lead. Attendance can help space manufacturers and suppliers anticipate material obsolescence, manage supply chain disruptions, and align future product and process decisions with evolving EU chemical and sustainability regulations.

24 May 2026, 20:53esa.intEuropean Union

European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) Issues Call For Tender On Cost–Benefit Analysis Of N-ESRS For Non-EU Companies

In May 2026 EFRAG launched a tender to commission an external cost–benefit analysis supporting the development of European Sustainability Reporting Standards for non-EU companies under the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. This early-stage move signals that EU policymakers are actively preparing potential N-ESRS requirements for large non-EU groups with significant EU activities, so affected companies should closely track the process and its timelines for future disclosure impacts.

23 May 2026, 20:06efrag.orgEuropean Union

Denmark Consults on Updated Conditionality and Social Conditionality Order for 2026

Denmark is consulting on an updated executive order on conditionality and social conditionality for 2026 that aligns CAP cross-compliance rules with the 2025 EU CAP simplification regulation and is planned to take effect from July 2026. The proposal tightens the link between CAP support, environmental management and labour standards, while introducing a targeted GLM 6 soil-cover exemption for land in permanent set-aside and rewetting projects, so affected farms must reassess compliance strategies and project design.

23 May 2026, 20:02prodstoragehoeringspo.blob.core.windows.netDenmark

EU Commission Updates Climate Tracking And Digital Tagging For Poland's Recovery And Resilience Plan

In May 2026 the European Commission published a staff working document updating how Poland’s modified Recovery and Resilience Plan is tagged against EU climate and digital targets under the Recovery and Resilience Facility framework. The update reallocates and documents climate and digital coefficients across a wide range of funded measures, confirming that climate-tagged spending will be fully financed from EU funds and signalling continued support for green and digital investments without introducing new reporting duties for companies beyond existing RRP implementation rules.

23 May 2026, 19:06ec.europa.euEuropean UnionPoland

UK Government Launches Critical Chemicals Resilience Fund and Ceramics Decarbonisation Package

In May 2026 the UK Government announced a £350 million Critical Chemicals Resilience Fund and a £120 million ceramics support package to bolster domestic production, energy efficiency and decarbonisation. These targeted programmes do not create new regulatory obligations but signal sustained policy support for UK-based chemicals and ceramics manufacturers, including potential future changes to trade defence and regulatory cost regimes.

23 May 2026, 09:13gov.ukUnited Kingdom

Netherlands Senate Committee Issues Blank Report on Implementing Act for Directive (EU) 2024/825 on Consumer Sustainability Information

The Dutch Senate’s Economic Affairs and Climate committee has issued a blank report on the bill implementing Directive (EU) 2024/825 on empowering consumers for the green transition, confirming it has no comments and allowing the proposal to move to plenary consideration in May 2026. This shows Dutch transposition of the EU consumer sustainability information rules is on track, so businesses targeting Dutch consumers should anticipate tighter requirements on sustainability-related marketing, green claims and pre-contract information and plan adjustments ahead of formal adoption.

23 May 2026, 09:08zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nlNetherlandsEuropean Union

UN Secretary-General Issues Progress Report on 10-Year Framework for Sustainable Consumption and Production (E/2026/60)

The UN Secretary-General’s 2026 progress report on the 10-year framework for sustainable consumption and production reviews global implementation and sets out priorities and recommendations for accelerating action. It signals expectations for stronger national and regional policy frameworks on sustainable consumption and production, which may drive future regulation, incentives and reporting requirements for companies with global value chains.

23 May 2026, 08:49docs.un.orgGlobal

EU Council Presidency Outlines NRPP Regulation Compromise on Objectives, Climate Share and Governance

In March 2026 the EU Council Presidency tabled detailed compromise amendments to the NRPP Regulation and the related 2028–2034 cohesion and agriculture fund package, covering objectives, climate spending shares, CAP payment continuity and governance controls. If agreed, these choices will shape how Member States design and manage National and Regional Partnership Plans, including the rigidity of the 43% climate and environment allocation, the timing of CAP payments, and the level of audit and cost‑verification burden on managing authorities.

23 May 2026, 08:46data.consilium.europa.euEuropean Union

EU Council Presidency Presents Amendments To NRPP Fund Proposal On Objectives, Climate Allocation And Governance

In March 2026 the EU Council Presidency used working-party slides to float amendments to the draft 2028–2034 European cohesion and agriculture fund regulation, covering objectives, a 43% climate and environment allocation target, CAP payment continuity and detailed governance and audit arrangements. These negotiations will determine how future EU funds and climate-linked spending are distributed and controlled across Member States, with implications for national investment planning, assurance systems and the visibility of cohesion and agricultural policies in the next budget cycle.

23 May 2026, 08:46data.consilium.europa.euEuropean Union

EU Commission Updates Climate Tracking and Digital Tagging of Spain’s Recovery and Resilience Plan

In May 2026 the European Commission issued a staff working document updating the climate tracking and digital tagging of Spain’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, detailing how revised measures are classified against EU climate and digital objectives. The document does not create new legal obligations for businesses but underpins an amending Council decision and clarifies which types of Spanish investments are counted most strongly towards EU climate and digital spending targets, guiding future project design and funding strategies.

22 May 2026, 16:50eur-lex.europa.euEuropean UnionSpain

OECD Launches Responsible Business Conduct Report for a Just Transition

On 20 May 2026 the OECD is launching a new paper on how responsible business conduct can support a just transition by protecting workers, communities and consumers in the low-carbon transition. While non-binding, this guidance from a key international standard-setter signals evolving expectations to integrate social due diligence into climate transition plans and can inform companies’ just transition, human rights and supply-chain strategies.

22 May 2026, 16:50oecd.orgGlobal

Noord-Holland Publishes Draft Fifth Amendment to Omgevingsverordening NH2022

In May 2026 the Province of Noord-Holland published a draft fifth amendment to its Omgevingsverordening NH2022, tightening rules on groundwater-based energy systems, renewable energy siting, nitrogen and nature programmes, silence areas and UNESCO heritage, with entry into force planned for 1 January 2027. These changes signal stricter data and reporting duties for open ground-source systems and more prescriptive siting and impact-assessment criteria for wind, solar and large-scale storage projects, so environmental, energy and planning teams should integrate them into project design and long-term investment planning well ahead of formal adoption.

22 May 2026, 10:25zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nlNetherlands

UN General Assembly Draft Resolution A/80/L.65 on Follow-Up to ICJ Advisory Opinion on States’ Climate Obligations

In May 2026, UN member states tabled a draft General Assembly resolution to operationalise the ICJ’s 2025 advisory opinion on states’ climate obligations, calling for compliance with existing international law, accelerated 1.5°C-aligned mitigation (including fossil-fuel phase-out), and stronger protection of human rights and vulnerable states. This move elevates the legal and political expectations on governments—and indirectly on high-emitting sectors—to align strategies with net-zero pathways, anticipate tighter climate accountability, and factor climate-related human-rights and state-responsibility risks into long-term decision-making.

21 May 2026, 08:53documents-dds-ny.un.orgGlobal

UN General Assembly Tables Amendment A/80/L.66 to Draft Resolution on ICJ Climate Obligations Advisory Opinion

The UN General Assembly has issued amendment A/80/L.66 to its draft resolution on the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion concerning states’ obligations in respect of climate change. This non-binding but authoritative step helps clarify international expectations on state climate action, which can shape future domestic climate policy, regulation, and ESG risk for high-emitting sectors.

21 May 2026, 06:59docs.un.orgGlobal

Italy Interministerial Decree Updates IPCEI Fund Criteria For Direct And Associated Participants

Italy has adopted an interministerial decree that updates the IPCEI Fund’s general criteria to align with newer EU state-aid and sustainability rules while extending support from notified IPCEI projects to a wider set of associated participants under GBER. This broadens access to large cross-border innovation funding but adds stricter eligibility thresholds, project start timelines, DNSH requirements and CUP obligations, so potential beneficiaries should reassess pipelines and compliance processes for upcoming IPCEI calls.

21 May 2026, 06:35mimit.gov.itItaly

European Parliament Debates Reform Of The Research Fund For Coal And Steel

In May 2026 the European Parliament debated a draft Council decision to reform the EU’s Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS), focusing on continuity of funding, regional balance and industry-led research to support the transition of coal and steel regions. The discussion signalled strong political backing for using remaining ECSC assets to boost RFCS funding while pressing for clarity on long-term allocations, successor arrangements once the fund is drawn down, and alignment with decarbonisation and just transition goals.

21 May 2026, 06:35europarl.europa.euEuropean Union