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Two transparency bills in the California legislature would require corporations to disclose more information about their emissions and their efforts to fight the climate crisis. The oil and gas industry is spending millions to kill them.
The bills would force large companies that do business in California to report all of their emissions and also require firms that buy or sell carbon offsets– which represent a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions – to disclose more information in an effort to crack down on bogus climate claims. Both measures have momentum but could be blocked by moderate Democrats historically aligned with corporate interests.
Since the legislation would make new information available beyond California, the two bills could represent a watershed moment for holding big polluters accountable when they claim climate bonafides, supporters say.
Reporting requirements for corporate emissions are currently fragmented and the climate disclosures bill would be a landmark law pinning down the impacts of some of the world’s largest companies. And […]
“Democrats have a supermajority in the assembly, outnumbering Republicans 62 to 18. But a small contingent of moderate Dems, who joined Republicans in voting against the climate disclosures last year, successfully blocked the bill from passing.
Fifteen others registered “no vote recorded” in 2022. Combined, these legislators have received millions from the California Chamber of Commerce, as well as the oil and gas industry and other corporate interests.”
Corruption knows no partisan bounds. When you live in a non-representative republic these are the outcomes. The concept that two political parties can adequately represent the 39 million citizens of California is ludicrous on its face.