June 2023 witnessed several significant events, heatwaves and progress toward climate disclosures. Here’s a summary of the top 5 news mentions.

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#1. The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) has released its highly anticipated climate disclosures rule. 

This rule aims to establish comprehensive standards for companies worldwide to disclose climate-related information, fostering greater transparency and accountability in environmental reporting. Let's delve into the key aspects and potential impacts of this landmark development.

• Enhanced Climate Disclosures: The ISSB's climate disclosures rule sets out guidelines and requirements for companies to disclose relevant climate-related information. This includes carbon emissions, climate risks and opportunities, mitigation strategies, and targets aligned with international climate goals. By providing standardized reporting frameworks, the rule ensures consistent and comparable data that facilitates decision-making by investors, stakeholders, and policymakers.
• Harmonized Reporting Standards: The ISSB's rule seeks to harmonize sustainability reporting practices globally. By establishing a common set of disclosure standards, it aims to eliminate inconsistencies and confusion that arise from different reporting frameworks and metrics. This harmonization will facilitate easier comparison of companies' environmental performance, enabling investors to make informed decisions and encouraging businesses to improve their sustainability practices.
• Integration of Financial and Climate Disclosures: Recognizing the interdependence of financial and climate-related information, the ISSB rule encourages the integration of these disclosures. It emphasizes the importance of assessing and reporting climate risks and their potential financial impacts, enabling investors to evaluate the resilience of companies' business models in the face of climate change. The integration of financial and climate disclosures will drive more holistic decision-making and promote long-term sustainable investments.

The ISSB's climate disclosures rule will have far-reaching implications for companies of all sizes and sectors. It will require them to assess and disclose their climate-related risks, develop robust strategies to manage them, and set meaningful targets to reduce their environmental footprint. This rule will drive companies towards greater environmental responsibility, as they navigate the transition to a low-carbon economy and work towards aligning their operations with global sustainability goals. Investor Confidence and Societal Impact: The implementation of standardized climate disclosures will enhance investor confidence in sustainability reporting. Investors will have access to consistent, reliable data to assess companies' environmental performance and make informed investment decisions. Additionally, the rule's transparency and accountability measures will encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices, contributing to the overall transition to a greener and more resilient economy.

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#2. Extreme Heatwaves and Wildfires

Several regions around the globe experienced extreme heatwaves and devastating wildfires in June. For example, the Western United States faced scorching temperatures, breaking previous records. These heatwaves not only pose immediate threats to human health but also exacerbate drought conditions, strain energy systems, and increase the risk of wildfires. Raymond Zhong of the New York Times has a great full story here. 

#3. Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) chair, Joe Longo, has emphasized the need for companies to prepare for the climate and sustainability disclosure standards set by the ISSB. ‍

The ISSB is expected to finalize these standards by the end of June. Longo announced that the Australian Treasury will soon release a plan outlining how and when the government will implement the ISSB's standards. He mentioned that the standards are likely to be introduced gradually, with different timelines depending on the size of the companies. To meet the growing global demand for robust climate reporting, ASIC plans to collaborate with domestic and international regulatory peers, including members of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions. Joe Keyhoe from the Australian Financial Review reports the full story. For more information on how Jupiter is helping Australian companies prepare to comply with the mandatory disclosures, email us at info@jupiterintel.com 

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#4. The European Commission has proposed easing climate and environmental, social, and governance disclosure rules under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) due to concerns about the regulatory burden on companies. 

The proposed changes were outlined in a draft delegated regulation on the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), which will be used by firms to disclose climate-related and ESG information. The Commission suggests moving indicators classified as mandatory in the initial draft of the standards into the scope of a materiality assessment. This means companies would only report these indicators if they consider them important and relevant. The proposed changes aim to significantly reduce the reporting burden on companies. Additionally, certain data points, such as biodiversity transition plans, may become voluntary disclosures, and flexibility is suggested regarding the disclosure of sustainability-related financial impacts and stakeholder engagements. Reuters covered the story in this article. Learn more about how Jupiter is helping EU companies with their TCFD reporting today by emailing info@jupiterintel.com 

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#5. UN Climate Conference (COP29)

June marked an important milestone as world leaders and policymakers gathered in preparation for the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29). Discussions focused on accelerating global action to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, scaling up climate finance, and fostering international cooperation. 

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Conclusion: June 2023 showcased a mix of challenges and positive developments in the fight against climate change. The ISSB global reporting rule is a great step in the right direction to deliver transparency for material risks. The UN Climate Conference provided a platform for global collaboration and renewed commitments, while extreme heatwaves and wildfires underscored the immediate risks we face. These events collectively emphasize the need for comprehensive and decisive action to tackle, adapt to and build resilience to the impacts of climate change and protect our planet for future generations.

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