Chancery Lane project launches climate clauses globally

UK-based nonprofit The Chancery Lane Project (TCLP) has announced the launch of 21 new climate clauses across the US, Germany, Italy, and Australia. These clauses aim to help legal professionals and businesses integrate climate-conscious provisions into their contracts, contributing to global decarbonisation efforts.

TCLP, known for providing free legal resources to reduce emissions through contracts, has seen a surge in demand, particularly in light of new environmental regulations such as the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and Germany's Supply Chain Act. These laws have increased pressure on companies to address their environmental impact, particularly in supply chains, prompting a rise in the use of climate clauses.

The new clauses cover various areas crucial to achieving climate goals, such as:

• Supplier due diligence and renewable energy procurement requirements (e.g., Lennie and Dyllan’s Clause and Lucy’s Clause)
• Imposing climate-related obligations on company founders (e.g., Hugo’s Clause)
• Environmentally-conscious dispute resolution methods (e.g., Allegra’s Clause and Flavia’s Clause)
• Benchmarking carbon footprints against industry standards (e.g., Louis' Clause)

With the addition of Australia and Italy to its jurisdictional offerings, TCLP continues to expand its international reach. Existing resources already support legal frameworks in the US, Germany, Ireland, and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Natasha Morgan, Legal Editorial Manager at TCLP, emphasised the global business shift toward climate accountability: "As the world transitions towards a Paris-aligned future, contracts are one of the most effective tools to ensure compliance with climate targets and regulations."

TCLP’s new clauses aim to simplify the complex task of updating legal documents to meet climate goals. With growing international interest, the nonprofit also plans to release foreign-language versions of its clauses later this year.

TCLP’s work has already been utilised by notable organisations such as Telstra, Salesforce, Vodafone, NatWest, and Cambridge University Press. As businesses increasingly face climate-related challenges, the organisation hopes these new resources will play a key role in driving decarbonisation on a global scale.