climate accountability package

Companies that do business in California and meet certain revenue thresholds should continue to prepare to comply with the state’s landmark climate disclosure laws that impose reporting deadlines starting in 2026, even as a newly enacted state law gives California regulators more time and flexibility in promulgating implementing regulations.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 219 (SB 219) into law on September 27, 2024, making modest amendments to California’s two signature climate disclosure laws, SB 253 and SB 261, enacted in October 2023. SB 253, or the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, requires reporting entities to publicly disclose their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions beginning in 2026 for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, and 2027 for Scope 3. SB 261, the Climate-Related Financial Risk Act, requires covered entities to publish biennial reports, beginning in January 2026, that disclose climate-related financial risk and measures adopted to reduce and adapt to that risk.Continue Reading California Climate Disclosure Laws’ Compliance Timeline Remains Stable While New Amendments Give State Regulator More Time and Flexibility

Last week, the California Legislature passed two bills comprising the core of a landmark “Climate Accountability Package.”  Together, the two bills will impose extensive new climate-related disclosure obligations on thousands of U.S. public and private companies with operations in California.  Senate Bill 253 (SB 253) would require companies with greater than $1 billion in annual revenues to file annual reports publicly disclosing their Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  Senate Bill 261 (SB 261) would require companies with greater than $500 million in annual revenues to prepare biennial reports disclosing climate-related financial risk and describing measures adopted to mitigate and adapt to that risk.

Yesterday afternoon during an appearance at Climate Week NYC, Governor Newsom told the audience emphatically, “of course I will sign those bills.”  When he does, many more companies will be required to improve the accuracy, completeness and rigor of their GHG reporting and climate risk disclosures. Because of the complexity of GHG reporting, we have focused the remainder of this post on SB 253.  Please see our separate post on SB 261 here.Continue Reading California Legislature Passes Landmark Climate Disclosure Laws: Spotlight on SB 253

Last week, the California Legislature passed two bills as part of the state’s landmark “Climate Accountability Package.”  If signed by Governor Newsom as anticipated, the two laws—Senate Bill 253 (SB 253) and Senate Bill 261 (SB 261)—will usher in significant climate-related disclosure requirements for thousands of U.S. public and private companies that do business in California.

SB 253 and SB 261 mark the most extensive emissions- and climate-disclosure laws enacted in the United States to date.  SB 253 requires companies with greater than $1 billion in annual revenues to file annual reports publicly disclosing their direct, indirect, and supply chain greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, verified by an independent and experienced third-party provider.  SB 261 requires companies with $500 million in annual revenues to prepare biennial reports disclosing climate-related financial risk and measures they have adopted to reduce and adapt to that risk, with the first report due by January 1, 2026.

This post focuses on SB 261’s climate-related financial risk disclosure requirements. You can find our post on SB 253’s GHG emissions reporting requirements here.Continue Reading California Legislature Passes Landmark Climate Disclosure Laws: Spotlight on SB 261