Sustainability

Taiwan MoENV Announces Plan for Environmental Testing and Measurement Act

Taiwan’s Ministry of Environment has announced plans to draft an Environmental Testing and Measurement Act to centralise oversight of environmental testing and improve data quality, flagged in a press release on the 2026 Environmental Analysis Conference. If implemented, this framework would standardise accreditation, quality assurance and data reporting for environmental testing laboratories and related service providers, so affected organisations should monitor forthcoming drafts and timelines to anticipate compliance and system upgrades.

15 May 2026, 18:33enews.moenv.gov.twTaiwan

International Cocoa Conference Adopts International Cocoa Agreement 2026

In February 2026, the UN International Cocoa Conference adopted the International Cocoa Agreement 2026, creating a new global framework for governing the cocoa market and the sustainability of the cocoa economy. The agreement, which will enter into force once signature and ratification thresholds are met, puts living income, child labour elimination, deforestation and market transparency at the centre of national cocoa policies, influencing future expectations for responsible cocoa sourcing and investment.

15 May 2026, 16:22docs.un.orgGlobal

Michigan Bill To Repeal Clean and Renewable Energy Standards Sent to Senate Committee

In May 2026, Michigan lawmakers advanced HB 5711, a bill that would dismantle the state's clean and renewable energy standards under the Clean and Renewable Energy and Energy Waste Reduction Act, with the measure now before the Senate Government Operations Committee following House passage. If enacted, this would roll back statutory requirements on utilities to deliver renewable energy and efficiency programmes, weakening long-term decarbonisation signals and forcing energy and sustainability teams with Michigan exposure to reassess assumptions about future clean power supply and compliance obligations.

15 May 2026, 15:24legislature.mi.govUnited States

Turkey Environment Ministry Announces Hatay Declaration on Resilient Cities for COP31

Turkey’s environment ministry, as COP31 Presidency, has issued the Hatay Declaration on resilient cities, setting out non-binding principles for low-carbon, inclusive and disaster-resilient urban development and implementation of COP31 outcomes at city level. For companies in construction, infrastructure and urban services, this signals future policy direction on building lifecycle emissions, green building certification, resilient standards and climate finance rather than immediate regulatory obligations.

15 May 2026, 09:11csb.gov.trTürkiye

EFTA Surveillance Authority Raises No Objections to Norway's Green Industry Financing Fund (CISAF)

In February 2026 the EFTA Surveillance Authority approved Norway's NOK 4.1 billion Green Industry Financing Fund (CISAF) state aid scheme, allowing Innovation Norway to offer loans covering 15–40% of eligible clean‑technology manufacturing investment costs through to the end of 2030. This creates a significant public financing channel for clean‑tech capacity projects in Norway, potentially improving project economics and accelerating industrial decarbonisation and green technology supply chains without adding new regulatory obligations.

14 May 2026, 09:33eur-lex.europa.euNorway

Japan Ministry of the Environment and METI Solicit Proposals for Green Purchasing Law Designated Procurement Items (Goods and Services)

In May 2026 Japan’s environment and economy ministries opened a joint consultation seeking proposals for new or revised designated procurement item categories and criteria under the Green Purchasing Act, covering goods and services, with submissions due by 11 June 2026. This signals an upcoming revision of Japan’s green public procurement Basic Policy that could expand future demand and tighten environmental performance expectations for low-carbon, resource-efficient products and services supplied to the Japanese public sector.

14 May 2026, 05:55env.go.jpJapan

New Zealand Government Launches Assurance Framework for Voluntary Nature and Carbon Markets

New Zealand has announced a new assurance and endorsement framework to grow trusted voluntary nature and carbon markets, including recognition of high-quality international schemes, an opt-in domestic pathway and new access for privately funded projects on public conservation land from later in 2026. This signals stronger government backing for voluntary environmental credit markets while keeping participation non-regulatory, shaping where private capital will flow for New Zealand-based nature and carbon projects and influencing future corporate offsetting and ESG strategies.

13 May 2026, 19:03beehive.govt.nzNew Zealand

Denmark Forsyningstilsynet Opens Hearing on 2027 Electricity Grid Development Plans

Denmark’s utility regulator has launched the 2027 electricity grid development planning cycle, including a public hearing from 8 May to 5 June 2026 and clear deadlines for draft, revised, and final network plans through the end of 2026. Distribution network companies must align multi-year investment and flexibility plans with these dates, making this process a central driver for grid capacity, electrification projects, and long-term energy transition planning in Denmark.

13 May 2026, 11:57forsyningstilsynet.dkDenmark

European Commission Clarifies Equivalence And Labelling For Category 1 NGT Plants

In May 2026 the European Commission answered an MEP question by confirming the scientific basis and regulatory safeguards for treating certain “category 1” plants obtained by new genomic techniques as equivalent to conventional plants under the draft NGT regulation. For companies in seeds, crops, and food and feed, this clarifies that these NGT varieties would be exempt from additional GMO risk assessment but remain subject to conventional‑plant rules, a monitoring programme, and public register and seed‑labelling transparency, informing how they design future breeding and segregation strategies.

12 May 2026, 15:10europarl.europa.euEuropean Union

Virginia Enacts Data Center Siting, Waste-Heat Study, and Water-Use Reporting Laws (SB94, HB323, HB496/SB553)

Virginia has enacted a three-part data centre package that tightens siting approvals, mandates a statewide waste-heat study, and expands water-use reporting, with new obligations phasing in from July 2026 and January 2027. These measures will require data centre developers, operators, and water utilities in Virginia to factor local environmental impacts into project siting, participate in waste-heat planning, and capture more granular water-use data that can influence permitting, community relations, and long-term infrastructure decisions.

12 May 2026, 12:55lis.virginia.govUnited States

US Senate Introduces Federal Mechanical Insulation Act of 2026 (S. 4312)

In April 2026 the US Senate introduced the Federal Mechanical Insulation Act, which would amend the National Energy Conservation Policy Act so that mechanical insulation meeting ASHRAE 90.1 is explicitly treated as an energy and water efficiency measure for federal buildings. If enacted, this would strengthen the case for using compliant mechanical insulation in federal projects, supporting demand for higher‑performance systems without adding new chemical‑specific restrictions for insulation materials.

12 May 2026, 12:51govinfo.govUnited States

EU Council Working Party To Examine Industrial Accelerator Act Regulation on 11 May 2026

The Council’s Working Party on Competitiveness and Growth (Industry) will examine the proposed Industrial Accelerator Act Regulation on 11 May 2026, marking the start of Council working-party discussions on this framework for boosting industrial capacity and decarbonisation in strategic sectors. This procedural step indicates that changes to the Single Digital Gateway Regulation, the Net-Zero Industry Act and the Construction Products Regulation are now entering member state negotiations, giving manufacturers and infrastructure players early visibility of emerging policy direction.

9 May 2026, 14:14data.consilium.europa.euEuropean Union

Chile Environment Ministry Sets 15-Day Target For Publishing Environmental Project Resolutions

In May 2026 Chile’s environment minister used the Salmon Summit 2026 to announce an administrative target to publish environmental project resolutions within a maximum of 15 days, which she said would cut current publication times by around six months. If implemented across investment projects, this accelerated publication timetable would materially shorten permitting cycles for sectors such as aquaculture and energy, signalling a push to unblock investment while maintaining existing environmental standards.

9 May 2026, 13:39mma.gob.clChile

EU Commission Instructs Corrections to Union Registry National Allocation Tables for Eight Member States

On 06 May 2026 the European Commission adopted Decision C(2026)3191 instructing the Union Registry’s Central Administrator to correct the national allocation tables for Belgium, Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Slovakia and Finland. While operational and compliance impacts will be handled through updated EU ETS allocation records rather than new procedures, affected companies should monitor their Union Registry positions in these countries for any changes.

9 May 2026, 13:27ec.europa.euEuropean UnionBelgiumIrelandSpainFranceItalyPolandSlovakiaFinland

Nordic Swan Ecolabel Consults On Criteria For Venues And Conference Facilities

From 5 May to 4 July 2026, Nordic Ecolabelling is consulting on draft Nordic Swan Ecolabel criteria for venues and conference facilities across the Nordic countries. If adopted as planned in late 2026, these voluntary standards will set a recognised benchmark for low-impact operations in concert halls, stadiums and conference centres, shaping expectations on energy use, food and beverage offers, waste models and ecolabelled products in Nordic supply chains.

9 May 2026, 13:20nordic-swan-ecolabel.orgDenmarkSwedenNorwayFinlandIceland

ESMA Publishes 2025 Corporate Reporting Enforcement Report for the EEA

On 07 May 2026 ESMA published its 2025 enforcement report summarising how national authorities supervised financial, sustainability (ESRS and Taxonomy) and digital (ESEF) corporate reporting across the EEA. The findings show supervisors concentrating interventions on climate and Taxonomy disclosures, ESRS 2 general disclosures, IFRS policies and ESEF tagging quality, signalling higher enforcement risk for weak implementation rather than introducing new rules or deadlines.

9 May 2026, 07:15esma.europa.euEuropean UnionEuropean Economic Area

Commission Seeks Feedback on Revised ESRS and Voluntary SME Sustainability Reporting Standard

From 6 May 2026 the European Commission is consulting for one month on draft revised mandatory ESRS sustainability reporting standards and a voluntary standard for smaller companies under the CSRD. These proposals would significantly streamline required datapoints and introduce a value-chain cap on supplier information demands, so companies should quickly assess how the changes could reshape their reporting scope, data needs, and supplier engagement.

8 May 2026, 09:19finance.ec.europa.euEuropean Union

EU Publishes Expert Report on Regulation of Engineered Living Materials

In April 2026 the EU published an expert report for the European Innovation Council on how existing EU GMO, food and product-safety law applies to Engineered Living Materials and what regulatory options could govern their future market entry. The report warns that without clearer, faster and more predictable authorisation and liability frameworks, Europe risks underinvestment in ELM-based innovations, so regulators and investors should anticipate pressure for more harmonised guidance across health, construction and environmental applications.

8 May 2026, 09:15webgate.ec.europa.euEuropean Union

Connecticut Legislature Passes SB 452 Tightening Helium Balloon Release Rules

In May 2026 the Connecticut General Assembly passed SB 452, tightening restrictions on helium and other lighter-than-air gas balloons by banning intentional releases and imposing new retail requirements, with the bill now awaiting the Governor’s action. If enacted, from October 2026 balloon releases would be prohibited and retailers would need to attach weights to all helium balloons, requiring event organisers and suppliers to phase out release practices and adjust product offerings ahead of the effective date.

8 May 2026, 08:52cga.ct.govUnited States

Illinois Legislature Advances HB5474 Amending Responsible Outdoor Lighting Control Act — New Luminaires CCT ≤ 2,200 K From 2032

Illinois lawmakers are advancing HB5474 to tighten the Responsible Outdoor Lighting Control Act by capping new outdoor luminaires at a warm 2,200 K from mid-2032, restricting statuary and historic façade uplighting, and introducing SHPO approval for State historic uplighting from 2027. If adopted, these changes would reshape long-term planning and specifications for public outdoor lighting projects and luminaires in Illinois, affecting procurement, design standards, and compliance strategies well ahead of the 2032 implementation date.

8 May 2026, 07:47ilga.govUnited States