Conference programme

This keynote will provide a focused overview of how emerging power-to-X technologies for hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel, methanol and other e-fuels could reshape Europe’s decarbonization pathways, investment priorities, and regulatory frameworks. Drawing on insights from EU private practice, the speaker will address the current state of development, its alignment with the Union’s climate, energy security and industrial strategies, and the governance challenges that accompany early-stage deployment. The session will highlight what companies, investors, and policymakers should monitor as such technologies are deployed at industrial scale to become a key component of Europe’s sustainable energy mix.

The panel will examine how evolving ESG regulation is reshaping corporate strategy by pushing sustainability due diligence beyond a mere compliance-driven exercise. Set against a rapidly changing regulatory landscape – including supply-chain due diligence obligations, climate transition requirements, and enhanced sustainability disclosures – the discussion will explore how companies, investors, and financial institutions are reassessing ESG risks across complex global supply chains.

The aim is to focus on the management of the most significant risks emerging in the market, such as human rights and environmental impacts across value chains, carbon and trade-related exposure, greenwashing, and the increasing interaction between regulatory enforcement, civil liability, and financial performance. The discussion will highlight how robust ESG due diligence and governance frameworks can mitigate legal and financial risk while also strengthening resilience, access to capital, and competitive positioning.
 

Lawyers are often dismissive of “soft law” and focus on “hard law” when advising clients. Certain jurisdictions treat the lawyer as “advisor” or “officer of the court” or use other terms to caution lawyers to include considerations beyond “hard law” when providing legal advice. The line, though, is often not so clear cut. Certainly “soft law” instruments, whether international or domestic, become hard law when codified, issued in legal opinions, or otherwise incorporated into contracts. On the other hand, “soft law” may become part of the backdrop for hard law, and lead to unanticipated results, such as a court adopted “soft law” considerations as policy that informs a legal decision. The panel will focus on how “soft law” is finding increasing relevance and importance, including in areas generally falling within the contours of what are considered ESG issues.