Climate, Nature & Sustainable Development in Turbulent Times (12 March 2026) - Adv Michael Strauss

Climate, Nature & Sustainable Development in Turbulent Times: Advancing International Law and Governance after UNFCCC COP30 and the IUCN WCC 2025 13:00 – 17:00 GMT | 12 March 2026 “In a period of rapid environmental change and the geopolitical uncertainty... Law is possibly the most powerful tool you have to build trust, mobilize capital for change, and protect the public interest. When used well, it does not slow transition, it rather makes it possible.” Adv Michael Strauss (General Counsel, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)) EBRD General Counsel Mike Strauss highlights the critical role of law and governance in turning global climate and biodiversity commitments into tangible action. Speaking from the EBRD, he emphasizes that implementation—through national legislation, regulatory frameworks, and institutional mandates—is now the key challenge for sustainability. He stresses the need to integrate climate, nature, and development law, aligning legal frameworks with NDCs, biodiversity targets, and financial regulations to enable coherent markets and capital flows. Lawyers, he notes, are central as architects of solutions, shaping legislation, contracts, safeguards, and accountability mechanisms that drive systemic transitions. Looking ahead to COP17, partnerships between MDBs, legal professionals, civil society, and Indigenous communities will be essential to deliver a just and effective path to a sustainable future. Adv. Mike Strauss is an experienced legal professional with a distinguished career in international development finance and public policy. He has served on the Board of the Asian Development Bank and as Senior Advisor for International Finance at the U.S. Treasury, where he worked on global financial and development issues. He currently serves as General Counsel of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), where he leads legal strategy and supports the institution’s mission to advance sustainable, market-oriented transitions.