The Environment Chronicle

Order of theCourt of Justice of the European Union in Case C-441/17 R: Poland must immediately cease its active forest management operations in the Białowieża Forest, except in exceptional cases where they are strictly necessary to ensure public safety. If Poland is found to have infringed this order, the Court will order it to pay to the Commission a penalty payment of at least €100 000 per day.

The EU and seven of its member states have ratified the Minamata Convention on mercury thereby exceeding the 50-party requirement for the treaty to enter into force. On 18 May 2017, the EU, Bulgaria, Denmark, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Romania and Sweden deposited their instruments at the UN headquarters in New York, bringing to 52 the number of parties that have ratified. As a result, in 90 days, on 16 August 2017, the Minamata Convention will become legally binding for all its Parties.

On 14 June 2017, Sweden passed a new climate law. The Swedish parliament voted 254 to 41 to adopt the Climate Act, which commits the government to becoming a net-zero carbon emitter by 2045. Sweden becomes the first country to significantly upgrade its ambition in light of the international climate deal adopted in Paris in 2015. It was previously targeting carbon neutrality by 2050. The Climate Act will enter into force on 1 January 2018.