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Blog/News ArticleFinancial RegulationRegulatory Activities

DOL Rule Clarifies That ESG Analysis Is Consistent With Fiduciary Duty. Will It Preempt State Anti-ESG Laws?

This blog discusses the Department of Labor's final rule that was issued on Tuesday, November 22, that allows for plan fiduciaries to consider climate change and other environmental, social, and governance (ESG) characteristics when they choose investments and exercise shareholder rights, reversing a Trump-era rule that sought to constrain this…
Agency FilingFinancial DisclosureFinancial Regulation

Comments to the CFTC on Climate-Related Financial Risk (Sabin Center)

These comments strongly support the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's ("Commission") efforts to respond to the financial consequences of climate change and highlight the legal basis for appropriate rule-making to address these risks. Regulations to address climate risk are consistent with the Commission's mandate to ensure the integrity of transactions under…
ReportRisk Management

Catastrophe Bonds

Catastrophe bonds are the most well-known type of ILS to transfer catastrophe risk to capital market investors and the second-largest according to volume. The first catastrophe bonds were issued in the mid-1990s and the market has been steadily growing since that time. This primer explains the general mechanics of catastrophe…
Carolyn Kousky
September 20, 2022
ReportRisk Management

Parametric Insurance for Disasters

The concept of parametric insurance, while not new, is getting increased attention as a way to provide faster and more flexible funds to victims of disasters and as a tool to provide post-disaster funds for emerging and otherwise difficult-to-insure risks. There is also hope that parametric policies can broaden disaster…
Carolyn Kousky
September 20, 2022
Blog/News ArticleFinancial DisclosureFinancial Regulation

Widespread Support for the SEC’s Proposed Climate Risk Disclosure Standards

As shown in the quotes collected in this blog, a proposal from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that would standardize public companies’ disclosures of climate risk information is getting strong support from the general public, investors, companies of various sizes across a wide range of sectors, law and business…
Agency FilingEnergy RegulationFederal Energy Regulation

Comments to FERC on One-Time Informational Reports on Extreme Weather Vulnerability Assessments

In these comments, EDF and the Sabin Center support the Commission’s proposal to require transmission providers to file one-time informational reports describing their current or planned policies and processes for conducting extreme weather vulnerability assessments. In promulgating a final rule, EDF and the Sabin Center recommend that the Commission supplement…
Financial RegulationRisk ManagementSummary Document

Summary Report: Workshop on Physical Climate Risk and the United States Financial System

In May 2022, CarbonPlan, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and the Initiative on Climate Risk and Resilience Law (ICRRL) co-convened a Chatham House Rule workshop to better understand how climate science is used in risk assessment and decision-making across the financial sector. Pursuant to the rule, the meeting organizers and…
Agency FilingFinancial DisclosureFinancial Regulation

Comments to the SEC on Fund ESG Disclosures (Policy Integrity)

The SEC has proposed a series of new disclosures for investment companies regarding their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) activities. These disclosures would reduce "greenwashing" - a practice where companies misrepresent the sustainability of their investments in order to advertise to investors looking to invest in green funds - by…