The climate challenge and the need to take swift and decisive action to reduce the environmental footprint of the economy have extended the role of the modern lawyer far beyond traditional advisory services. Regulatory measures and legal and tax issues are one of the key pillars of the green transformation of business. Those who have already understood the dynamics of this process not only gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace but are also able to support the sustainability of their clients. Osborne Clarke is well aware of this. Having recently opened its first office in Poland, it has immediately established an interdisciplinary Decarbonisation Team in line with the global philosophy of the 3Ds (decarbonisation, digitalisation, urban dynamics). The Team is headed by Katarzyna Barańska PhD, a legal advisor with many years of experience in providing regulatory and environmental advice.
International institutions and governments the world over are setting increasingly ambitious emissions reduction targets, requiring all of us - companies and individuals - to make significant changes to how we live and do our business. These can all be achieved through decarbonisation understood as a series of regulatory actions and technical solutions aimed at gradually reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Like any great reform, climate transformation means new opportunities for business, but also unknown challenges. The need to achieve net zero emissions requires representatives from all industries to take a fresh look at business development strategies. What’s more, dynamic regulatory changes in environmental protection force businesses to constantly adapt their activities to EU and domestic requirements.
Legal advice plays a key role in the process of understanding and effectively implementing green transformation tools in business. Lawyers specialising in decarbonisation issues support clients in challenges involved in the increasing use of energy from renewable sources, expansion of green infrastructure, including alternative fuel supply sites, or ESG-oriented transformation.
By going beyond standard advice and supporting clients and local communities in their green transformation, we are fulfilling an important pro-environmental mission, not only as lawyers but also as citizens
explains Katarzyna Barańska, PhD, partner and leader of the Decarbonisation Team in the Warsaw office of Osborne Clarke.
ESG issues no longer concern just a narrow group of companies, but every sector of the economy. Increasingly stringent EU standards and domestic regulations, as well as growing societal pressure, mean that responsible and sustainable business is now not a choice but a necessity. Decarbonisation is one of the key pillars of Osborne Clarke's worldwide consultancy. We work with our specialists from the global digitalisation and urban dynamics teams to offer comprehensive support for green business transformation, including but not limited to making investments or implementing innovative technological solutions
adds Tomasz Olkiewicz, co-managing partner of Osborne Clarke in Poland.
The Decarbonisation Team is the first team of its kind on the Polish legal services market, providing comprehensive services for environmental, infrastructure and green energy projects. This unique combination of knowledge from various regulatory areas within a single team dedicated to such activities is greatly appreciated by clients. With daily, project-based cooperation with Osborne Clarke's international offices, the lawyers offer advice based on the best global practices and standards. In addition to Katarzyna Barańska, PhD, the Team includes: Łukasz Petelski (Counsel), Sylwia Uziębło-Kowalska (Senior Associate), Ernest Łuczak (Senior Associate) and Mateusz Naporski (Junior Associate).
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