California's Landmark Climate Disclosure Laws Challenged By Business Groups

"Major U.S. business groups sued California on Tuesday seeking to overturn the state's new sweeping climate disclosure laws that require companies to publicly report their greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related financial risks.

The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles federal court by the biggest U.S. business lobby, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, along with the American Farm Bureau Federation and several California business groups. They claim the first-of-their-kind laws will impose "massive" costs on businesses and violate free speech protections in the U.S. Constitution by compelling the disclosures.

The groups also claim the laws are invalid because they act as de facto national emissions regulations. Federal regulators are exclusively empowered to regulate emissions under the U.S. Clean Air Act, and are best situated to develop regulations that apply consistently across the country, the groups said in the lawsuit."

Clark Mindock reports for Reuters January 30, 2024.

Source: Reuters, 02/01/2024