From ideas to action : governance paths to net zero / Janis Sarra.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Machine generated contents note: 1. Introduction -- I. The Need for Effective Climate Governance -- i. Overview of This Book -- II. A Few Essential Definitions -- i. The Anthropocene -- ii. Global Warming and Climate Change -- iii. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Carbon Intensity -- iv. Systemic Risk -- v. Climate Mitigation and Adaptation -- vi. Net Zero Carbon -- vii. Climate Resilience -- viii. Circular Economy -- 2. What the Science Tells Us about Climate Change -- I. Reasons for Businesses to Be Concerned -- II. The Physical Impacts of Climate Change Are Already Evident -- i. Impacts on Human Health and Well-Being -- ii. Impacts on Food Security and Food Production Systems -- iii. Impacts on Oceans and Their Ecosystems -- iv. Impacts on Land and Wetland Ecosystems -- v. Impacts on Fresh Water Resources -- vi. Impacts on the Cryosphere -- III. Climate Tipping Points and Implications for Business -- IV. Mitigation is an Essential Part of a Climate Governance Strategy -- V. Adaptation is Necessary but Not Sufficient -- 3. Financial Risks of Climate Change -- I. The Physical Risks to Business -- i. Planetary Boundaries Have Been Crossed -- II. Transition Risks to Companies and Investors from Climate Change -- i. Technology Risk -- ii. Market and Investment Risk -- iii. Reputational Risk -- iv. Litigation Risk -- v. Policy Risk -- III. Women Are Disproportionally Affected -- IV. Indigenous Peoples Deserve Special Attention -- 4. Fiduciaries' Obligations and Climate Governance -- I. What is a Fiduciary Duty? -- II. The Duties of Directors and Officers of Companies -- III. Obligations of Pension Fiduciaries, Their Investment Managers, and Service Providers -- IV. Fiduciary Obligations of Asset Managers and Investment Funds -- V. The Duties of Company Directors and Officers in Respect of Climate Change Governance -- i. Directors' Duty of Care Requires Action on Climate Change -- ii. Oppression Remedies in Some Countries -- iii. Responsible Action on Climate Change Will Be an Effective Defence -- VI. Obligations of Pension Fiduciaries, Other Institutional Investors, and Asset Managers in Respect of Climate Change -- i. Pension Fiduciaries' Duties of Care and Prudence Require Attention to Climate Change -- ii. The US Employee Retirement Income Security Act (`ERISA') and Acting on Climate-Related Financial Risk -- iii. The Duty of Care of Asset Managers and Other Non-Pension Investment Managers in Respect of Climate Change -- VII. Fulfilling Fiduciary Obligations and Duties of Care through Effective Management of Climate-Related Risks and Opportunities -- VIII. New Investment Priorities for Pension Funds and Other Institutional Investors Regarding Climate Change -- IX. Disclosure as Part of Legal Duties -- i. An Important Note on Materiality -- 5. Effective Climate Governance -- I. Principles and Frameworks That Inform Effective Climate Governance -- II. Effective Climate Governance -- i. Getting Started -- ii. Climate Competent Directors and Pension Fiduciaries -- iii. Effective Governance and Fiduciary Obligation in Engaging Asset Managers and Engagement Service Firms -- iv. Monitoring Progress against Goals -- v. Broadening Climate Expertise -- vi. Due Diligence is Both Good Governance and a Strong Defence to Decisions Made -- III. The Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (`TCFD') Framework -- i. Disclosure of Governance of Climate Risk -- ii. Disclosure of Climate Strategy -- iii. Disclosure of Risk Management -- iv. Disclosure of Metrics and Targets -- v. Adoption of the TCFD Framework -- IV. Climate Scenario Analysis as a Potential Governance Tool -- V. Integrated Assessment Models and Climate Change Financial Risk -- 6. Regulatory Oversight of Climate Governance of Companies and Institutional Investors -- I. Fairness and Equity Should Inform Regulation -- II. Challenges for International Regulatory Oversight -- III. The European Union Leadership on Investor Transparency and a Green Investment Taxonomy -- IV. Regulation of Climate Governance -- i. Regulation of Corporate Disclosure and Duty to Act on Climate Change -- V. Regulation of Investor Transparency Obligations Will Assist in Climate Governance -- i. Regulation Specific to Pension Funds -- VI. Carbon Pricing as an Effective Policy and Regulatory Tool -- i. Low Carbon Benchmarks, Carbon Budgets, and Statutory Requirements for Net Zero Carbon Emissions -- VII. Supervisory Oversight of Financial Institutions -- VIII. The Governance Role of Debt Investors in the Transition to Net Zero Carbon -- IX. Additional Regulatory Challenges -- i. Financial Advisors and Other Financial Intermediaries -- ii. Credit Rating Organizations -- X. Regulating Climate-Resilient Pathways -- XI. Capacity Building of Women's Role in Policy-Making -- XII. Observing Legal Requirements for Consultation with, Accommodation of, and Partnership with Indigenous Communities -- XIII. A New Green Deal? -- 7. Effective Engagement and Current Litigation on Climate Governance -- I. Direct Engagement with the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officers, and Chief Financial Officers -- II. Shareholder Proposals and Proxy Voting on Climate Governance -- III. Divestment as a Form of Engagement or Disengagement -- IV. Policy Engagement -- V. Emerging Litigation on Climate Governance -- i. Litigation against Governments -- ii. Investor Actions against Companies -- iii. Litigation outside the United States against Corporations Based on Their Contribution to Harms Arising from Global Warming -- iv. Litigation in the United States against Corporations Based on Their Contribution to Harms Arising from Global Warming -- v. Actions against a Pension Board -- vi. Judgments Denying Licenses and Other Economic Activities Harmful to Climate Mitigation and Adaptation -- vii. Consumer Protection Litigation against Companies -- 8. Sustainable Finance and the Move to a Circular Economy -- I. Scaling-Up Sustainable Finance -- II. Moving to Clean Growth and a Circular Economy -- III. Linking Sustainable Finance with Sustainable Development -- IV. The European Commissions Vision for a Sustainable and Climate Neutral Economy -- V. Green Finance -- i. Protecting Investors and Consumers through Clear Standards of What Qualifies as Green Finance -- ii. Green Finance Policy and Regulatory Oversight -- VI. Indigenous Partnerships in Green Finance -- VII. Conservation Finance -- VIII. Examples of Sustainable Finance -- i. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy -- ii.Net Zero Emissions Buildings and Low Carbon Retrofit of Buildings -- iii. Transportation -- iv. Transforming Water Use -- v. Agricultural Practices and Reforestation -- 9. Climate Governance for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises -- I. Climate-Related Risks Can Be Particularly Challenging for MSME to Address -- II. Regulatory and Infrastructure Support for MSME in the Transition -- i. Financing for the MSME Sector in Respect of Climate Action -- III. MSME Governance of Climate Risk and Opportunity -- i. Women Will Help Lift Up Micro and Small Businesses -- 10. Conclusion.

This book offers a guide, for companies, pension funds, asset managers, and other institutional investors, on how to commence the legal, governance, and financial strategies needed for effective climate mitigation and adaptation, and to help distribute the economic benefits of these actions to their stakeholders. It takes the reader from ideas to action, from first steps to a more meaningful contribution to the move towards a net zero carbon world. It can serve as a helpful guide to everyone implicated in a corporation's activities - employees, pensioners, consumers, banks and other lenders, policymakers, and community members. It offers insights into what we should be expecting, and asking, of these fiduciaries who have taken responsibility for effectively managing our savings, our retirement funds, our investments, and our tax dollars.