Resources for Trustees

Understand climate-related risks and opportunities and build climate competence to improve effective fund management.

Jul 29th, 2022

Primer on Climate Change: Directors’ Duties and Disclosure Obligations 2nd edition

The Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative has worked with the Climate Governance Initiative to produce the second edition to the Primer on Climate Change: Directors’ Duties and Disclosure Obligations. The Primer provides an overview of contemporary evidence that climate change presents foreseeable, and in many cases material, financial and systemic risks that affect corporations and […]

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Jul 1st, 2022

Global trends in climate change litigation: 2022 snapshot

Climate change litigation continues to grow in importance year-on-year as a way of either advancing or delaying effective action on climate change. In 2022, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recognised the role of litigation in affecting “the outcome and ambition of climate governance”. The latest edition of the Grantham Research Institute annual report […]

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Jun 23rd, 2022

Climate Change Litigation: What Board Directors Need to Know

Climate change litigation is increasing, both in terms of the number of cases being brought and the routes which claimants are taking. Claims against governments can affect the policy and operating environment for companies, or result in delays or rejection of regulatory approvals. Litigation against companies is increasing, and claims are now being brought against […]

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Jun 7th, 2022

Climate Change Risk on the Boardroom Table

Renowned governance expert, Carol Hansell, has updated her widely read opinion on the responsibilities of directors in addressing climate change risk. Climate change and the risks it presents are undeniable. How should corporations and their boards address this risk? Are there standards and tools to support their work? Carol Hansell explores the answers to these […]

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May 5th, 2022

Canada’s Conflicted Pension Managers

Shift Action for Pension Wealth and Planet Health’s May 2022 report, Canada’s Climate-Conflicted Pension Managers: The Oil and Gas Insiders Overseeing Canadians’ Retirement Savings, reveals the deep entanglement between the fossil fuel industry and directors, trustees and investment managers at Canada’s largest public pension funds.  It finds 80 Canadian pension managers with 124 different roles […]

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Apr 29th, 2022

The Chairperson’s Insights into Climate Action

The Chairperson’s Insights into Climate Action provides a summary of highlights from interviews with 16 members of the World Economic Forum’s Community of Chairpersons on the topic of climate action. It explores key issues and best practices for board members across strategy, risk and opportunity, stakeholders, board competence and operations in relation to climate. It provides answers […]

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