Peter 

BARNETT

Peter Barnett is a senior lawyer at international environmental NGO ClientEarth. ClientEarth uses the law, backed by science and economics, to protect people and planet. Peter leads ClientEarth’s climate and energy work in Asia (excluding China), working with governments, the private sector and civil society to accelerate the transition to a net zero carbon economy. He frequently speaks and write on the role of corporate law in driving greater sustainability in business and investment decisions.

Before joining ClientEarth, Peter specialised in international arbitration and litigation at US disputes firm Boies Schiller Flexner in London and Russell McVeagh in New Zealand. He has wide-ranging experience in international investor-state and commercial arbitration in Europe, the United States and Latin America. He has also acted for government and private sector clients in high-profile commercial and public law litigation in the English and New Zealand courts.

Peter holds an LLM from Harvard Law School and an LLB (Hons) and BCom (Finance) from the University of Otago. He is admitted as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand (non-practising) and a solicitor in England and Wales.

Publications

Articles

• Peter, B., ‘Shareholder Litigation as the Next Frontier in Shareholder Climate Action’, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (25 June 2019) https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/shareholder-litigation-as-the-next-frontier-in-shareholder-climate-action/
•  Matt, G. and Peter, B., ‘Collective Action and Securities Law in the UK: Recent and Anticipated Developments and International Trends’ (2017) 32 (2) Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law 299 https://www.bsfllp.com/images/content/2/5/v2/2528/2017-05-01-Getz-and-Barnett-Collective-Action-and-Securities-Law.pdf

Book chapters

• Peter, B. and Michael, S. ‘Strategic Litigation and Inclusive Education. in Gauthier, D. B. and others (eds), The Right to Inclusive Education in International Human Rights Law (Cambridge University Press 2019), 241-268

• Climate change
• Climate finance
• Climate change and fiduciary duties
• Climate-related financial disclosure
• Climate change and financial stability

Projects

Climate change and corporate and financial law and regulation

Climate change poses material financial risks and opportunities. Climate-related financial risks have important consequences for corporate and financial law and regulation – such as directors’ and investors’ fiduciary duties, securities law disclosure obligations and regulatory and supervisory mandates. Governments, central banks, financial regulators and institutional investors are acting increasingly robustly to drive better disclosure and management of such risks. This can act in turn to accelerate the transition to a net zero carbon economy.

Peter’s research addresses this intersection between climate change and corporate and financial law and regulation. It focuses on the role such law can play in driving greenhouse gas emissions reduction and broader sustainability in selected jurisdictions in Asia.