A recent collision between a U.S.-flagged oil tanker and a Portuguese-flagged cargo ship in the North Sea has raised significant environmental concerns. The incident resulted in a massive fire and fuel spill, highlighting the immediate need to improve current safety measures.

Despite the new U.S. administration's anti-ESG stance, CFOs remain committed to sustainability. A recent survey from BDO reveals that many companies plan to maintain or even increase their sustainability investments.

In a significant move for climate action, 24 U.S. states have reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris Agreement goals despite the federal government's withdrawal. This collective effort underscores the importance of state-level initiatives in combating climate change.

The Biden Administration has released final rules for clean electricity tax credits, aiming to boost clean energy projects and reduce utility costs for American families. These new regulations are expected to save U.S. households up to $38 billion by 2030 while supporting job creation and energy resilience.

The Biden administration has announced a new climate goal to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 61% – 66% by 2035. This ambitious target aims to continue the momentum of climate action despite the upcoming change in administration.

Ohio and Oklahoma are the latest states to push back against Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing. This move reflects a broader national debate on the role of ESG considerations in public finance and corporate governance.

The European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is set to revolutionize ESG reporting for companies operating within the EU, including US companies with significant EU operations. This directive mandates comprehensive sustainability disclosures, aiming to enhance transparency and drive sustainable business practices. In their recent insights, PwC provides companies with recommendations for understanding this directive.

The Biden administration has awarded over $100 billion in clean tech grants from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), securing funding for renewable energy projects and sustainability initiatives. This milestone comes as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, with potential plans to rescind unspent IRA funds.

California’s latest proposed amendments to its climate laws aim to enhance transparency and accountability in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate risk reporting. These changes reflect the state’s commitment to leading climate action despite ongoing budget negotiations and deployment challenges.

The Biden-Harris Administration has announced a $50 million investment to support America’s auto communities and bolster domestic electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing. This initiative aims to help small- and medium-sized suppliers adapt to the evolving EV supply chain, ensuring the retention of good-paying, union jobs.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has unveiled a significant investment of $7 billion to establish seven Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) across the nation as part of President Biden's "Investing in America'' agenda. These hubs are a central component of the Bidenomics strategy and will accelerate the large-scale deployment of clean hydrogen, playing a crucial role in achieving the President's climate and energy security goals.

A recent KPMG survey found that just 25% of surveyed business leaders express confidence in meeting future ESG reporting requirements, despite an increasing reliance on ESG strategies for added business value. The "KPMG U.S. ESG Survey" involved over 200 business leaders responsible for their companies' ESG strategies, primarily from North American companies with revenue exceeding $1 billion across diverse industries.

Yesterday, The European Commission adopted a detailed set of reporting regulations for the transitional phase of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Set to begin on October 1, 2023 and extend through the year 2025, this transitional phase aims to lay the groundwork for the CBAM's full implementation.

In efforts to combat climate change, the Biden-Harris Administration has announced an investment of $1.2 billion dedicated to launching the nation's first-ever Direct Air Capture (DAC) program. This program will launch two new demonstration projects in Texas and Louisiana to essentially vacuum carbon dioxide out of the air. Once captured, this carbon dioxide will be stored underground or used in industrial materials such as cement. This initiative, unveiled on August 11th, 2023 truly highlights the Biden administration's unwavering commitment to innovative solutions aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions and preserving our planet for future generations.

The modern workforce is undergoing a significant transformation as younger generations step into the spotlight, bringing with them a distinct set of values and priorities that challenge conventional notions of employment. Deloitte's recent report, titled "The Shifting Workforce: Exploring the Impact of ESG and Climate Concerns on Gen Z and Millennials," highlighted that the newer generations are leaving jobs due to misaligned ESG values and ESG concerns. Here, we will highlight some of the key takeaways from the report.

This week, there was a major turning point in the United States’ commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. The Biden-Harris Administration's recent announcement of an unprecedented $11 billion investment plan for the creation of clean energy programs across rural America is the largest investment of this kind that the states have ever seen and is guaranteed to have residual impacts. This significant investment has the potential to accelerate the shift to renewable energy, stimulate economic growth, and combat climate change challenges.

The Dutch Association of Investors for Sustainable Development (VBDO), managing €10 trillion in assets, has called on corporations to accelerate action on plastics to reduce their environmental impact. The VBDO has called for corporations to set ambitious targets to reduce plastic use and eliminate single-use plastics to reduce their environmental impact. This call to action is expected to have significant effects on corporations across the globe in terms of sustainability and ESG.

In the the United States, flooding is the most expensive type of natural disaster and yet a new study highlighted this week by The Economist, suggests that including flood risk in the price of American homes could significantly lower their total value. The study estimates that accounting for flood risk could decrease the total value of American homes by as much as $187 billion, or 4.4%.

The U.S. Energy Department (DOE) has proposed new fuel economy rules that would lower the mileage ratings for electric vehicles (EVs) in an effort to comply with existing fuel economy standards. The new proposal would reduce the efficiency ratings of electric vehicles by about 10%, lowering the mileage rating for an EV from 125 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) to 113 MPGe. This current system of calculating the petroleum equivalent fuel economy has not been updated in over two decades.

In Boston Massachusetts, on the first day of her administration, Governor Maura Healey signed an executive order to create the position of Climate Chief, and in the same executive order, created an Office of Climate Innovation and Resilience within the Governor’s Office. This brand new role of Climate Chief has been filled by Melissa Hoffer. This is a huge accomplishment as Massachusetts is the first state in the United States to create such a role.