Few success stories came out of this year’s COP. Nevertheless, we’ve compiled COP29’s five (very modest) achievements and five of its most notable failures.
On November 12, 2024, the Hague Appeals Court overturned a landmark 2021 decision ordering oil giant Shell to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 45% from 2019 levels by 2030.
On October 17, 2024, Ontario’s Court of Appeal sided with a group of young climate activists in its Mathur v Ontario decision, reviving a case against the province which was previously dismissed in April 2023.
On October 9, 2024, the Canadian government announced that it will establish a “Made-in-Canada” sustainable investing taxonomy, and institute mandatory climate disclosure requirements for large, federally-incorporated private companies.
The legislation’s goal is to support workers and communities by creating high-quality, socially-responsible (and preferably unionized) jobs, as part of the transition away from fossil fuels.
On March 6, 2024, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted new rules that, per the SEC press release, will “enhance and standardize climate-related disclosures by public companies in public offerings.”
On Wednesday, the US Securities and Exchange Commission proposed a regulation to establish standardized requirements for funds marketed as featuring environmental, social, and governance (ESG) characteristics.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed a landmark climate-related disclosure rule on Monday that would require publicly-traded companies to detail climate-related risks to their operations and provide standardized emission metrics.
The fact that Texas, a state famous for its oil industry, felt it necessary to pass a law of this sort signals the industry’s growing consternation with an increasingly climate-conscious and oil un-friendly investing environment.