Whatever your industry, there are environmental impacts. Environmental regulations continue to grow in complexity as citizens, governments and global NGOs seek to protect our environment and supply of natural resources.

Complying with regulations from the outset will keep you in business and protect your reputation. Rely on the comprehensive experience of our environment team to ensure you are on track with your environmental compliance, due diligence and required approvals and licenses.

Benefit from our extensive knowledge, industry involvements and unrivalled practical experience in the many new and emerging areas of environmental and planning law.

Developers, landowners, property investors, construction companies, agribusinesses, energy and resources companies, hoteliers and consultants all call on our team to set them on the right path.

When a dispute arises, you need a team that is passionate, immersed in the subject and tapped into developments locally and globally. We are that team.

Whether your matter is a pollution incident involving allegations of nuisance or negligence, or sale of contaminated land involving allegations of misleading and deceptive conduct, we have the track record and particular experience to resolve the dispute and minimize your risks.

If you operate in the natural resources and clean energy industry, look no further than our team to guide you through the changing landscape of environmental sustainability and climate change law. We are the market leaders in advising on contracting solutions to achieve sustainable outcomes through:

• Innovative approaches to energy supply contracting, including power purchase agreements
• Project agreements
• Green leasing
• Contracts for Green Star projects
• A range of other project and development documents

Recognized as leaders in environmental law, our team includes the Australia region lead for ESG, and a committee member of the NSW Urban Development Industry Association.

Work with a team that is passionate and committed to being the best in the field and can represent you locally and globally.

Recognition

Hat Trick of Honors: Dentons lawyers shine nationally in 2026 Best Lawyers in Australia™

April 17, 2025

Dentons is proud to announce that its senior lawyers have been recognised across all three individual award categories in the 2026 Edition of The Best Lawyers in Australia^™. In total, 40 lawyers have been recognised in The Best Lawyers in Australia™ (2026 Edition), after being nominated by their peers as leading practitioners in their fields of practice, spanning 39 specialties.

Dentons lawyers recognised in Legal 500 Asia-Pacific Guide 2025

January 16, 2025

Dentons has been recognised again in the annual Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide.

Insights

Affordable housing contributions: when can a Council require them?

April 24, 2025

Australia: To provide for affordable housing, councils often impose housing affordability contributions as conditions of consent. These conditions require developers to make monetary contributions. For Council to have the authority to impose these contribution conditions, there must be an authorising provision in the local environmental plan. 

A case study of statutory construction & procedural fairness: Billyard Ave Developments Pty Limited v The Council of the City of Sydney [2025] NSWLEC 22

March 28, 2025

Australia: This is a reminder that procedural fairness is one of the tenets of our legal system. In Billyard Ave Developments Pty Limited v The Council of the City of Sydney [2025] NSWLEC 22, the Chief Judge of the Land and Environment Court overturned the decision of Commissioner Walsh on grounds that the Commissioner had denied the applicant procedural fairness by elevating the status of objector submissions to “evidence” and had not given the applicant an opportunity to address those matters.

NSW Planning Act amendments to modifications, concepts, and objections

March 10, 2025

Australia: The NSW Government has tabled a bill proposing to amend the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. The proposed amendments are in response to decisions of the Court that have caused the construction industry some uncertainty, and look to restore a level of practicality to the power to modify a consent, codify power to approve a development inconsistent with a concept, and recognise the status of an objection made out of time.

View all insights for Environment and Natural Resources in Australia

News and Events

Recent Press Releases

Hat Trick of Honors: Dentons lawyers shine nationally in 2026 Best Lawyers in Australia™

April 17, 2025

Dentons is proud to announce that its senior lawyers have been recognised across all three individual award categories in the 2026 Edition of The Best Lawyers in Australia^™. In total, 40 lawyers have been recognised in The Best Lawyers in Australia™ (2026 Edition), after being nominated by their peers as leading practitioners in their fields of practice, spanning 39 specialties.

Dentons lawyers recognised in Legal 500 Asia-Pacific Guide 2025

January 16, 2025

Dentons has been recognised again in the annual Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide.

Dentons acts as Papua New Guinea counsel to Newmont on its AU$26 billion acquisition of Newcrest

November 15, 2023

Dentons has advised Newmont Corporation (Newmont) on the Papua New Guinean aspects of its AU$26 billion acquisition of 100% of the issued shares in Newcrest Mining Limited. The acquisition was successfully implemented on 6 November 2023, through an Australian scheme of arrangement.

View all press releases for Environment and Natural Resources in Australia