This morning, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne released Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan outlines how the proceeds of Ontario’s Cap and Trade Program – estimated at between $5.9B and $8.3B over the next four years – will be invested in a variety of carbon reduction initiatives to meet legislated GHG reduction targets […]
Alex
Obama Administration Pushes for Climate-Smart Acquisitions
The U.S. Federal Government just proposed a new rule that would drive greater disclosure of climate change information in the Federal Government’s supply chain. The proposed regulation, entitled the Federal Acquisition Regulation: Public Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Reduction Goals Representation, would require those who provide products or services to the Federal Government to report […]
Momentum for Climate Disclosure Continues as Investors Push
Major Canadian institutional investors including the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Bank of Montreal’s Global Asset Management group and the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan have announced support for shareholders’ resolutions urging Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp. to “stress test” their operations against a climate-adjusted future. While Exxon and Chevron both conduct their own analysis of climate […]
Climate Risk: Corporate Canada’s Blind Spot
Although the many risks and opportunities posed by climate change are increasingly understood and recognized, Canadian companies have only begun integrating this knowledge into their business models, strategic plans, policies, measurements and reporting systems. Recent weeks have seen numerous developments aimed at encouraging better disclosure of climate risks and enforcing transparency requirements. To help make sense […]
Enforcing Transparency on Climate Risk: Recent Developments
As climate-related concerns and disclosures continue to gain profile, recent weeks have seen numerous developments aimed at encouraging better disclosure of climate risks and enforcing transparency requirements. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ruled that ExxonMobil’s (Exxon) shareholders are entitled to important climate change information. States across the U.S. are banding together to explore the […]
Manifest Named a Founding Advisory Partner of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board
On March 28, 2016, the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) announced the launch of its Advisory Partner Program to support corporate and investor application of sustainability disclosure standards and guidance. We are proud to have been selected as one of the ten founding Advisory Partners and the only Canadian firm certified to support the application of SASB standards. […]
Prime Minister and First Ministers Will Work Towards Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change
Prime Minister Trudeau and provincial premiers emerged from the First Ministers meeting held in Vancouver last week announcing an agreement to work towards a national climate change plan. On March 3, 2016, Canada’s First Ministers issued a joint communiqué and released the Vancouver Declaration on Clean Growth and Climate Change (the Declaration), which outlines the consensus reached at the […]
Ontario Releases Cap and Trade Proposal and Funding to Jump-Start the Transition to the Low-Carbon Economy
On February 25, the Ontario government posted its draft cap and trade regulatory proposal for a 45-day public and stakeholder comment period. Covering select large industrial emitters, natural gas distributors, petroleum product suppliers and importers of electricity, the proposed program captures 82% of the province’s total GHG emissions. The regulatory proposal is accompanied by a proposal to further […]
3 Reasons Organizations and Investors Should Care About Climate Risk
Climate change is not just an environmental issue; it’s a core business issue. The transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy is underway, with increasing investor attention and rapid regulatory change driving a renewed interest to understand, plan for, and thrive in, a climate adjusted future. As Prime Minister Trudeau prepares to give a keynote address […]
From Oil to Solar: The Clean Energy Transition is Here
The historic transition to a clean energy economy has begun. Fossil fuel stocks are rapidly losing value as oil prices plunge and capital investment in new upstream supply dries up. Meanwhile, 2015 will be remembered as the pivotal moment when climate momentum became unstoppable. More dollars were invested and capacity added in renewable energy in […]