Gaëlle Cognet

Gaëlle is a recognised practitioner and thought leader in environmental and sustainability-related legal matters, and leads Ashurst's practice on these subjects in Paris. She has a transversal practice extending across projects, finance (including development and impact finance), corporate and dispute resolution, and routinely acts for and advises financial institutions, investors, corporates, project sponsors and public institutions on domestic and international environmental and sustainability-related requirements and regulations.

Her experience extends to advising on transactions consistent with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including addressing climate adaptation and nature conservation/restoration. Her remit includes environmental/climate financial instruments and emerging transactions (including debt-for-nature swaps, biodiversity credits, carbon credits/Art. 6 Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism and sustainability-linked loans) as well as the promotion of adaptation laws.

She advises clients on application of the Equator Principles, the IFC Performance Standards and similar industry requirements, providing a clear vision as to how environmental and social requirements are implemented on-the-ground in projects. She has extensive energy sector experience in particular, across the renewables sector including both onshore and offshore wind.

Gaëlle has pioneering expertise on the legal consequences of climate change on coastal territories (including flooding and coastline retreat).

She regularly holds seminars on environmental and sustainability-related legal issues, and publishes in leading journals. Gaëlle has been a main contributor to the commented Energy Code for Dalloz since its first edition (2014).

Gaëlle is fluent in French and English and is an Avocat at the Paris Bar. She studied at the University of California, Berkeley (School of Law), Paris-Panthéon-Assas University and Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne University.