“Net zero” is a topic as hot as the climate these days. With so much regulatory attention being placed on it, companies that do not communicate their net zero efforts appropriately or, worse, intentionally make false and...more
REGULATORY ISSUES & UPDATES - Recent Evolution of the European Regulatory Framework on Greenwashing - Two new Directives adopted by the EU in 2024—the "Empowering Consumers Directive" and the "Green Claims...more
In this week’s edition, we look at the climate-linked criminal lawsuit filed against a French oil major. We also review a survey conducted by Bloomberg Law that shows a majority of attorneys believe they will see only a...more
California recently has passed three climate disclosure laws, with yet another still pending. These new laws are aimed at increasing transparency and consistency in climate-related disclosures, including greenhouse gas (GHG)...more
On October 7, 2023, California took a significant step toward promoting transparency and integrity of voluntary carbon markets (VCMs) and climate-related claims by enacting Assembly Bill 1305: the Voluntary Carbon Market...more
As businesses across the globe strive to fulfill carbon-neutral and net-zero promises over the coming decades, the voluntary carbon market has emerged as a necessary resource to help businesses bridge the gap to...more
On October 7, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law two expansive climate disclosure bills (SB 253 and SB 261), making California the first state in the U.S. to impose requirements on greenhouse gas (“GHG”)...more
The UK’s financial services regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has delayed the release of its policy statement setting out the final rules of the Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDRs), leaving asset...more
The risk of an accusation of “greenwashing” is now an important concern for many companies. Greenwashing is an ill-defined concept but, nevertheless, is increasingly a source of litigation and regulatory scrutiny – with more...more
The call highlights the challenges in developing alignment between global ESG reporting standards. The European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), two of the world’s leading public financial...more
The public comment period for the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) proposed rules on climate-related disclosures (the “Proposal”) closed on June 17, 2022. The Proposal, which was released on March 21, 2022, would...more
With the SEC’s disclosure proposal comment period recently ending and likely climate-related disclosure regulation coming soon, it is imperative that companies begin to not only understand how to compile this information, but...more
The US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) recently proposed landmark climate-related disclosure rules draw attention to a broad scientific consensus that to avert catastrophic consequences from climate change, the...more
On March 21, the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed far-reaching climate-related disclosure rules for public companies that do business in the United States. In a 3-1 vote, the SEC proposed rules that would...more
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced a plan to compel companies to issue climate-related financial disclosures. Specifically, Prime Minister Trudeau sent mandate letters to Deputy Prime Minister and...more
The implications of climate change have gone from an esoteric topic that a very limited number of companies focused upon just a few years ago to one that is becoming more mainstream by the day. President Biden campaigned on...more
There can be no doubt 2021 is already shaping up to be a watershed year, including on the SEC enforcement and securities litigation fronts. Pressure from all directions has been coalescing to drive change in the way...more