Green Building Law Update

Environmental Law and Sustainability for Business

Archives: Climate Change

Top 10 (or 12!) List of Environmental Blog Posts

As 2024 draws to a close, it’s time to reflect on the environmental matters that dominated the year, those that captured attention, sparked debate, and influenced the trajectory of environmental policy and innovation. In the spirit of David Letterman’s iconic countdowns, we present a Top 10 List (with a bonus two for good measure!) of … Continue Reading

Heat Pump Shipments Are Declining Precipitously

By Stuart Kaplow on December 15, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Environmental

It is all but certain that heat pump shipments will see a further decline in 2025.… Continue Reading

Maryland’s War on Fossil Fuel Appliances: Criminalizing Plumbers?

By Stuart Kaplow on November 24, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, Energy, GHG, greenhouse gas

In the name of combating climate change, the Maryland government is driving policies to create an artificial energy scarcity that will require billions of dollars in new expense.… Continue Reading

Gas Stoves Saved: Washington Voters Reject All Electric Building Mandates

By Stuart Kaplow on November 10, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Energy, GHG, State

While many Americans were focused on the presidential election last Tuesday, citizens from Washington State and others interested in energy were paying attention to a successful Washington voter initiative protecting access to natural gas for homes and businesses, including preventing regulatory actions to limit access to gas in favor of all electric buildings. On November … Continue Reading

Greenstalling Isn’t Real: Understanding Business Realities in Climate Action

By Stuart Kaplow on September 29, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, greenwashing

What’s clear is that “greenstalling” isn’t real. … Continue Reading

Eyeglasses versus Emissions: Are We Losing Sight of the Bigger Picture?

By Stuart Kaplow on September 22, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, GHG, greenhouse gas

After all, the goal of climate change mitigation should not blind those who already face a vision crisis, it should illuminate a way forward that supports both the environment and human progress.… Continue Reading

Maryland 2024 BEPS Regulations: A Critical Analysis of Legal and Economic Risks

By Stuart Kaplow on September 8, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, GHG, greenhouse gas, State

We are available to assist Maryland businesses in navigating these regulatory challenges, including providing turnkey services for GHG tracking and compliance.… Continue Reading

Delay in Corporate Greenhouse Gas Reporting in California has Implications for All of Us

By Stuart Kaplow on September 1, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, GHG, greenhouse gas, State

SB 219 marks a significant moment in the evolution of climate disclosure laws… Continue Reading

The Paradox of Banning Electric Vehicles in Older Garages: Legislative Intent vs. Structural Reality

By Stuart Kaplow on August 4, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Environmental

Residential condominium boards are increasingly restricting or outright prohibiting the use of such EV charging equipment within older garages… Continue Reading

With ‘new’ proposed Maryland BEPS regulations what does a Building Owner do now?

By Stuart Kaplow on July 28, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, GHG, greenhouse gas, State

After this blog was posted, Maryland published the Notice of Final Action for COMAR 26.28 Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS). The regulations described below will be final and effective on December 23, 2024. The Notice is available here. After this post, on September 6, 2024, the Maryland Department of the Environment announced the 2023 Building Energy Performance … Continue Reading

Reduce Methane Emissions with Kitchen Garbage Disposals

By Stuart Kaplow on July 21, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Environmental, greenhouse gas

By embracing in sink garbage disposals and complementing them with waste reduction and composting efforts, we can all play a part in slowing climate change and creating a more sustainable future.… Continue Reading

Court Dismisses Baltimore’s Climate Claims: Implications for Future Litigation

By Stuart Kaplow on July 14, 2024 Posted in City, Climate Change

This case is pathbreaking because it is the first time a state court has dismissed one of these several similar climate claim suits brought by states and local governments across the country. … Continue Reading

Maryland Governor Executive Order Mandates Climate Action

By Stuart Kaplow on June 23, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, GHG, greenhouse gas, State

The executive order mandates comprehensive economy wide actions in both the public and private sectors, to place Maryland ahead of all other states in mitigating climate change… Continue Reading

Legal Action Seeks Mandatory Pollution Warnings for Gas Stoves

By Stuart Kaplow on June 16, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, GHG

Absent some new government intervention with warning labels on cooking oil, a government action that would be rationally related to a legitimate government interest would be proper increased ventilation in buildings… Continue Reading

White House Unveils Commitment to Carbon Offsets

By Stuart Kaplow on June 2, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Federal, GHG, greenhouse gas

Voluntary carbon offsets are indispensable tools for organizations striving to achieve net zero emissions, particularly those unable to generate enough onsite renewable energy. … Continue Reading

Constitutional Rights vs. Climate Change: Inside the Juliana Case Dismissal

By Stuart Kaplow on May 12, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Environmental, greenhouse gas

The Ninth Circuit’s decision that environmental climate change is not justiciable is already having repercussions… Continue Reading

SEC Climate Disclosure Rule Stay and Venue Now in the 8th Circuit

By Stuart Kaplow on March 24, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Federal, GHG, greenhouse gas

Compellingly 25 states have now filed petitions for judicial review attacking the SEC Final Rule. … Continue Reading

EV Charger Data Apocalypse

By Stuart Kaplow on March 17, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Energy, GHG, greenhouse gas

I don’t think this is some secret coterie of tech companies and governments seeking to weaponize EV chargers, but it is malfeasance at a huge scale and the transgression will certainly do more harm than good . … Continue Reading

SEC Final Rule on Climate Change and GHG Disclosure

By Stuart Kaplow on March 10, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, Federal, GHG, greenhouse gas

Adopted long awaited rules to enhance and standardize climate related disclosures, including for the first time requiring greenhouse gas emission disclosures… Continue Reading