Fiduciary Obligations with Respect to Climate Change – Carol Hansell and Catherine McCall

Corporate board members are legally obligated to address climate change risk and opportunities as part of their oversight of the companies they serve, according to a new, in-depth legal analysis of directors’ duties regarding climate change risk. In her opinion, titled “Putting Climate Change Risk on the Boardroom Table” Ms. Hansell clarifies the role of the corporate board with respect to climate change and is unequivocal about the responsibility of corporate directors to include climate change risks and opportunities in their oversight and strategic direction of the companies they serve. Ms. Hansell’s ground-breaking opinion, given to the Canada Climate Law Initiative, a research hub at the University of British Columbia Allard School of Law and York University Osgoode Hall Law School, is the first in-depth legal analysis of directors’ duties in a corporate governance context by a senior Canadian lawyer.