Legal and Policy Shifts in Climate Accountability and Greenwashing in 2025
In 2025, significant legal and policy developments occurred globally concerning climate change accountability and greenwashing practices.
In the UK, Scotland ruled that approvals for the Rosebank and Jackdaw projects were illegal for not accounting for greenhouse gas emissions, referencing a 2024 Finch ruling. Similarly, New South Wales’ Mount Pleasant coal mine expansion was ruled illegal for failing to consider full emissions, including scope 3, and for ignoring species protection.
In Brazil, Copelmi’s Nova Seival/Guaíba coal project was withdrawn in February 2025 after licenses had been suspended since 2022, following challenges related to climate obligations and procedural issues. Kenya’s Lamu coal project saw its licence revoked in October 2025 due to flaws in the environmental assessment and inadequate public participation.
Legal challenges to corporate accountability included a German court rejecting a 10-year climate damages claim against RWE, signaling limitations to polluter liability. However, Pakistani farmers filed a new claim in 2025 against two German polluting companies. In Australia, EnergyAustralia settled a greenwashing suit affecting 400,000 customers, marking the first case alleging false carbon-neutral marketing and recognizing carbon offsets as insufficient to prevent damage.
Apple faced legal restrictions when a Frankfurt court barred it from labeling the Apple Watch "carbon neutral" due to reliance on temporary offset schemes, prompting the company to pause similar claims elsewhere.
Internationally, two courts issued advisory opinions in July 2025: the Inter-American Court of Human Rights recognized a right to a healthy climate, and the International Court of Justice urged states to prevent climate harm, warning about implications for compensation.
On the policy front, Hawaii unveiled a comprehensive plan in October 2025 to achieve zero emissions for ground, sea, and inner-island transport by 2045. The plan includes electric vehicle charging infrastructure, expanded public transport, native reforestation efforts, and annual updates.
These developments reflect increasing judicial and governmental efforts to enforce accountability and challenge misleading climate claims worldwide.
