Law 4759/2020 on the Modernisation of Spatial and Urban Planning Legislation and Other Provisions was recently enacted. For renewable energy source (RES) projects in particular, the implications of this new law are twofold as it includes provisions that modify the legal framework for the development and financing of RES projects and provisions which affect where such projects will be sited. This article examines the main regulatory changes introduced regarding the siting of such projects.

The year 2020 was one of conflict for the Mexican power sector. This article summarises the government's main attempts to undermine the electricity market's competitiveness in favour of the Federal Commission of Electricity, the status of said actions, the new law reform initiative and expectations for the Mexican electricity market in 2021.

In order to prevent the negative impact of transport pollutant emissions on human health and the environment, the legislature passed the Act of 11 January 2018 on Electromobility and Alternative Fuels, which introduced the possibility for community councils to create clean transport zones. In such zones, vehicle traffic restrictions were introduced, from which certain vehicles were exempt. However, in response to public expectations, the ministry has proposed draft amendments to the act.

As of 1 January 2021, companies domiciled in Switzerland that are active in the extraction of raw materials must disclose payments to state authorities or government officials of Sfr100,000 or more per financial year. The new transparency provisions aim to foster responsible behaviour and create a uniform framework by aligning the Swiss provisions with existing standards under EU and US legislation. The new regulations will apply for the first time for the financial year 2022.

Now that Order 872 has been effective for a few weeks, the first few proceedings that will inform its implementation have commenced. This article examines the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's first post-Order 872 request for relief from the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) purchase mandate and the proceedings relating to the energy rate in the California Public Utilities Commission's recently adopted new PURPA standard offer contract.