The Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022 through these GHG emission regulations will undoubtedly shape the state's trajectory by decarbonizing the economy.… Continue Reading
With the rising demand for ethical and sustainable diamonds, man made diamonds are replacing legacy mined from the earth carbon stones.… Continue Reading
Executional greenwashing is a neologism characterizing the way in which a business promotes or executes an environmental initiative, rather than the actual environmental impact of the initiative.… Continue Reading
There is a move toward all electric buildings as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. The state of Maryland is leading the way in this movement, including several local jurisdictions adopting all electric building code laws. All electric building codes require that new construction and major renovations be powered by … Continue Reading
Congress voted to approve H.J. Res. 30 seeking to nullify the Department of Labor “ESG Rule” concerning fiduciary duties with respect to employee benefit plans.… Continue Reading
Non profits can now receive a direct payment from the Federal government for 30% of their total solar energy system installation costs… Continue Reading
Safeguarding human rights in business supply chains by businesses that believe profits should come not from creating the world’s problems, but from solving them… Continue Reading
Maryland is on the cusp of being the first state in the country to authorize use of the new 2021 edition of the International Green Construction Code … Continue Reading
As we look back in this ‘year in review’ at our most read blog posts in 2022, at a time when many have emerged from 2 years of permacrisis to the highs of a future where ESG opportunities are accelerating. This blog is a microcosm of the issues we assist clients with daily in our … Continue Reading
On December 15, 2022, EPA took final action to amend the All Appropriate Inquiries Rule to reference ASTM International’s E1527-21 “Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process” and allow for its use to satisfy the requirements for conducting all appropriate inquiries under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, … Continue Reading
The Federal Trade Commission announced last Wednesday that it is seeking public comment on updates and changes to the Green Guides for the Use of Environmental Claims. In an era when charges of greenwashing and green hushing are proliferating across social media while at the same time governments are mandating ESG including environmental disclosures by businesses, … Continue Reading
Maryland has enacted the most rigorous state law in the country reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and otherwise addressing ESG stewardship including climate change. Businesses can and should treat this as the greatest responsibility and opportunity of our time. Literally resetting the trajectory of Maryland’s economy, making sweeping changes to the Old Line State’s already … Continue Reading
Much has been written in the media about the just concluded UN Climate Conference (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, most of it focusing on the agreement to agree on reparations or more correctly stated, on providing “loss and damage” funding in the future for vulnerable countries hit hard by climate disasters. But the biggest takeaway for … Continue Reading
On November 11, 2022, shortly after this blog was posted EPA proposed a rule to regulate emissions of methane. While the proposed rule is itself worthy of discussion, readers of this blog may be particularly interested in a key technical feature of the announcement, that EPA has introduced a new approach to estimating the social cost … Continue Reading
Calculating net zero is ill defined, unregulated and complex. Businesses making a net zero pledge like, “we will be net zero by 2030” risk a charge that they are greenwashing and misleading consumers. It is one thing when government leaders make an ESG claim: In 2009 the King of Bhutan proclaimed his Himalayan country was … Continue Reading
With the U.S. midterm elections just weeks away, increasing numbers of employees are being encouraged to serve civil society helping repair the world. There are a myriad of possible elements in the “S” (Social) component of ESG, but what they have in common is they are about social relationships, from a business’ relationship with its … Continue Reading