- within Litigation and Mediation & Arbitration topic(s)
Key Topics
- COP30 - Emerging Key Issues
- Global Net Zero Report Indicates Steady Momentum on Target Setting
- Michigan Data Center Tax Incentives Under Bipartisan Consideration for Repeal
The Details
The 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) ended on November 22, 2025. Among other things, the package of decisions reflected in the Belém Political Package brings renewed focus on scaling up climate finance and accelerating implementation of the Paris Agreement. The event sharpened focus on implementation and finance rather than binding global commitments. Key issues emerging out of COP30 include:
- Lack of momentum on development of global fossil fuel phase-out road map.
- Energy transition minerals emerge as core pillar.
- Domestic implementation takes center stage.
- Climate finance remains a priority.
- Momentum gained on market mechanisms and carbon trading.
The recently released Destination Net Zero 2025 report reveals corporate adoption of net-zero targets continues to increase even amid uncertain political and regulatory environments.
- The report finds that 41% of the world's largest 2,000 companies have set net-zero targets covering their full value chains, an increase of 27% from the previous year and the fourth consecutive year of growth in such commitments.
- Companies identified decarbonization measures they took in 2025, with energy efficiency, renewable energy procurement and waste reduction among the most common.
- While the results indicate increased growth in target-setting, progress on corporate targets remains uneven. Only ~16% of the world's 4,000 largest companies are on track to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
A group of Michigan state representatives introduced a bipartisan package composed of three bills to amend and/or repeal the state's data center tax incentive laws, approved in late 2024. The House package comes amid intensifying public opposition to large-scale data center development.
- Supporters of this repeal identify growing concerns over detrimental environmental impacts, increases in customer utility bills and diverting tax revenue from the state's general fund.
- The incentive laws have helped attract more than a dozen proposed data center projects; however, it has since divided the Michigan state government and is illustrative of conflicting interests growing across the nation.
- The action could stir up this same debate in other states and localities which may be considering similar incentives.
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