IBA to contribute expert opinion to ESG seminar hosted by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations
Tuesday 27 January 2026
Event overview
On Thursday 29 January 2026, from 1800-2000 JST, the International Bar Association (IBA) Bar Issues Commission (BIC) will provide expert commentary and thought leadership at a seminar organised by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) on the role of lawyers in the decarbonisation era.
The seminar, titled ‘The Cutting Edge of Legal Practice Addressing Climate Change — Rethinking the Role of Lawyers in the Decarbonization Era, Learning from Global Best Practices’ will be held via Zoom and conducted in English and Japanese.
Click here to register to gain insights from global legal experts on climate change, ESG law, and the expanding professional responsibilities of lawyers in a rapidly changing legal, regulatory and corporate landscape. The Zoom link will be issued after registration.
The IBA’s role in this seminar
The IBA’s participation will bring global context, comparative insights and cutting-edge thinking on climate competent lawyering. Former IBA president, Akira Kawamura, will deliver opening remarks, Steven Richman, Chair of the IBA Bar Issues Commission, will give a keynote address and Emily Morison, Project Lawyer with the IBA Legal Policy & Research Unit (LPRU), who focuses on supporting integration of climate, nature and human rights considerations into legal practice, is among the panellists.
Context
Amid the global move toward decarbonisation, companies are expected not only to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions but also to advance climate responses across their supply chains. In Europe and North America, legal frameworks are rapidly evolving and include climate-related disclosure rules, anti-greenwashing regulations, directors’ duties regarding climate risk, emissions trading schemes and carbon border adjustment mechanisms. Climate litigation is also proliferating worldwide. In July 2025 the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion addressing states’ legal duties and responsibilities concerning the climate crisis.
The seminar will draw on leading international examples to examine the emerging risks and opportunities facing Japanese companies and to explore the roles that lawyers and corporate legal departments should play. Experts from Europe, Japan and beyond, will delve into the front lines of sustainability law practice in the decarbonisation era, from practical perspectives.
The full line-up
- Master of Ceremonies
- Yasuko Teraura, Attorney-at-Law, Dai-Ichi Tokyo Bar Association
Keynote addresses
- Lawyers and bar associations understanding climate risks and advancing climate competent lawyering
Steven Richman, Chair, IBA BIC
- Navigating the net zero transition: risk management and value creation for law firms
Georgina Beasley, CEO, Net Zero Lawyers Alliance (NZLA)
- The role of Japanese lawyers in climate action
Juta Wada, Attorney-at-Law, Osaka Bar Association
- How Japanese business lawyers are addressing climate-related challenges
Sakon Kuramoto, Attorney-at-Law, Tokyo Bar Association
Panel discussion
- Moderator: Changho Kim, Attorney-at-Law, Daini Tokyo Bar Association
- Panellists: Emily Morison; Georgina Beasley; Juta Wada; and Sakon Kuramoto.
Why IBA participation matters
The IBA – the global voice of the legal profession with an extensive international membership — has been actively shaping how lawyers, bar associations and law societies understand and respond to climate change, nature and ESG risks. The IBA’s work includes:
This seminar builds on those global efforts to integrate climate and sustainability considerations into legal practice.
ENDS
Contact: IBApressoffice@int-bar.org
Notes to the reader
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Access a range of committee webinars and initiatives addressing developments in the climate crisis and broader ESG considerations on the IBA ESG issues in focus page here.
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The International Bar Association (IBA), the global voice of the legal profession, is the foremost organisation for international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. Established in 1947, shortly after the creation of the United Nations, it was born out of the conviction that an organisation made up of the world's bar associations could contribute to global stability and peace through the administration of justice.
The IBA acts as a connector, enabler, and influencer, for the administration of justice, fair practice, and accountability worldwide. The IBA has collaborated on a broad range of ground-breaking, international projects with the United Nations, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, The Commonwealth, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, among others.
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Find the IBA on social media here:
Press Office
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Email: IBApressoffice@int-bar.org
Website page link for this news release:
Short link: www.tinyurl.com/5d8ax2jh
Full link: www.ibanet.org/IBA-to-contribute-expert-opinion-to-ESG-seminar-hosted-by-the-Japan-Federation-of-Bar-Associations