Panel – Environmental Law in China: Implications for Bay Area Business (September 27, 2011)

China Dialogue, Asia Society, K&L Gates, and the Business Council on Climate Change are sponsoring a panel on Environmental Law in China: Implications for Bay Area Business on September 27, 2011 in San Francisco.  I will be on the panel with a terrific group of speakers who work on climate change, environmental law, and green/clean-tech businesses.  We will discuss recent developments in environmental law relevant to businesses managing supply chains and seeking green tech opportunities in China.  I plan to focus particularly on the business risks and ethical obligations for U.S. companies raised by growing transparency, rising public environmental awareness, and Chinese civil green group organization (see, for example, controversy over Apple’s environmental practices in China and the Dalian PX protests).

Hope to see you there.  The organizers tell me that the room for the event is already near capacity based on responses to date, so RSVP to [email protected] as soon as possible.

Incidentally, Charlie McElwee (on the panel) previously wrote the terrific China Environmental Law blog.  Come ask him why he doesn’t start blogging again!

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The official announcement:

Environmental Law in China: Implications for Bay Area Business
September 27, 2011
5:30pm Reception
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Event

Location:
K&L Gates, LLP
4 Embarcadero Center, Suite 1200
San Francisco, California

Speakers:

• Charlie McElwee, Author of Environmental Law in China: Managing Risk and Ensuring Compliance (Mar 2011), climate policy program officer, ClimateWorks Foundation
• Alex Wang, Visiting Assistant Professor of Law, UC Berkeley Boalt School of Law; former director, NRDC’s China Environmental Law & Governance Project
• Kristen Durham, Global gateway director, SVB Financial Group
• Ryan Schuchard, Climate and energy manager, BSR

After decades of unprecedented environmental degradation, China’s leaders have begun to address the severe costs of rapid development. Fears related to food, energy and resource security, as well as the looming threat of social unrest among the middle class, have led to a rapidly changing landscape in environmental laws, regulations and standards. It is imperative for mulitnational businesses to understand the impact of China’s environmental law on their work, and ensure that they remain compliant with changing requirements.

At this chinadialogue event, speakers will discuss recent changes and trends in environmental law and what they mean for Bay Area businesses, including:

• How China’s environmental regulatory and legal frameworks are structured;
• How environmental regulations are changing;
• The development of Chinese “watch dog” groups and their increasing interactions with multinational
  businesses;
• And the potential risks and liabilities that accompany non-compliance.

Attendance is free, but space is limited. RSVP to: [email protected]

China, Environmental Law