Many of our clients face environmental regulatory and liability challenges in connection with operations outside of the continental United States, including product registration restrictions, cleanup obligations and climate change-related requirements. As one example, businesses with operations in Europe may already be subject to caps on carbon dioxide emissions and be trading allowances and offset credits under the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme. Operations in other developed countries that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol and accepted greenhouse gas reduction targets may also be subject to controls on GHG emissions.

Baker Botts offers a unique geographic scope when handling environmental issues. For any given engagement, we can team with Baker Botts lawyers across various practice areas in key economic and strategic industrialized zones around the world, including: Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Moscow and Riyadh. If needed, we can also draw on our membership in LexMundi, the world's leading association of independent law firms, providing access to 21,000 prominent local counsel in more than 100 countries around the world. Lex Mundi independently vets local firms based on legal experience, reputation and client service.

Our international experience includes a landmark environmental expropriation case in Yemen that involved a US $11 billion arbitration in the International Court of Arbitration (ICC). Our successful defense strategy resulted in the counterparty's failure to collect any money on its $4.6 billion environmental counterclaims.

For environmental issues specific to Latin America, Baker Botts provides advocacy and critical legal analysis through two key environmental coalitions:

• Business and Environmental Laws in Latin America group (BELLA) - BELLA provides companies a unique opportunity for tracking environmental laws and regulations in Latin America. The group also serves as an active participant in formulating and enacting environmental legislation, rulemaking and policy development.
• Red Interamericana de Especialistas en Legislacion Ambiental (RIELA) - RIELA is cost-effective network of law firms representing a number of jurisdictions throughout the Americas that serves as environmental resource and provides competent in-country law firms when specific legal representation is needed.

Our related international environmental services include:

• Legislative and Regulatory Development
• Litigation and Arbitration
• Climate Change
• Sustainability Issues
• Contaminated Property
• Project Development

For a more complete description of our experience, please click here.