Michael Hurley

EU Omnibus: Commission says it will not run impact assessment

The European Commission will not run an impact assessment of an expected overhaul of EU sustainability regulations, despite calls from NGOs and investor groups urging it to run a detailed public consultation and impact assessment.

Acting SEC chair signals agency won't defend 'deeply flawed' climate disclosure rule

The acting chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has indicated the agency's new administration will not defend its own climate disclosure rule.

UK makes pitch to lead world in transition finance with launch of council

London stands to become "the preeminent financial hub for transition finance" if a new Transition Finance Council is successful, according to its chair and former president of the COP26 climate conference, Alok Sharma.

Investors need to engage US policymakers to ensure ESG not prohibited, says ex-SEC director

There is heightened need for investors to engage with US policymakers to ensure they do not prohibit consideration of material ESG factors in investments, a former policy director at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has urged.

ERAFP and FRR to develop 'method to measure the effectiveness of engagement'

A group of major French asset owners has co-led the creation of a group to devise a way to measure the effectiveness of investor engagement with corporates and their asset managers on issues including climate change.

EU plans bi-annual 'reality checks' of its simplification agenda

With AI, 'people will not spend time on reporting anymore'

An 'AI Sustainability Agent' has been launched with the aim of transforming the task of gathering data for sustainability reporting from one that takes tens of hours into minutes.

Omnibus regs: EFRAG chair backs CSRD mid-caps category, says cuts possible to narrative reporting

The chair of the EU's standard setting body has said it "is sympathetic to" creating a new category of 'intermediate'-sized companies if it helped achieve the EU's simplification agenda without undermining its goal of improving sustainability reporting.

Investment Association says UK taxonomy no longer needed

The Investment Association (IA) has told the UK to scrap its plans for a 'green taxonomy', telling the Government such a framework is unnecessary due to Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR) and work on transition planning.

Closed-door consultation on EU omnibus feeds NGO fears of big cutbacks

A closed-door consultation by the European Commission of companies, business groups and NGOs fed concerns that major changes to EU sustainability regulations would include eradicating the 'double materiality' principle and transition plan disclosures, NGOs at the meeting said.