ESG

The legal fight over the SEC’s climate disclosure rule remains in limbo after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issued an order on September 12 continuing its hold on petitions for review. The court made clear that it is now up to the Securities and Exchange Commission to determine the fate of the rules, either through notice-and-comment rulemaking or by renewing its defense in ongoing litigation (Iowa v. SEC).

Singapore has hit pause, just slightly, on its march toward stricter climate reporting. The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) and Singapore Exchange Regulation (SGX RegCo) announced they will extend timelines for companies to meet new reporting and assurance rules, a move designed to give businesses breathing room to build the systems and expertise needed for high-quality disclosures.

European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde has urged lawmakers not to dilute the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), warning that watering down requirements would undermine the bloc’s ability to manage financial risks tied to climate change.

California’s ambitious climate disclosure laws just dodged a major legal roadblock. On August 13, 2025, a federal judge in Los Angeles refused to press pause on the state’s landmark Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (SB 253) and Climate-Related Financial Risk Act (SB 261). Translation: businesses caught by these rules should brace themselves, the countdown to 2026 compliance is officially on.

Extreme weather is no longer an abstract headline, it’s becoming a lived experience for much of the world. Deloitte’s latest Sustainability Signals survey shows that more than half of people globally have faced events like intense summer heat, flooding, or powerful storms in the past few years, with these encounters strongly shaping attitudes, spending habits, and workplace expectations.

The Joint Committee on Climate Change (JC3) gathered for its 15th meeting recently, with more voices at the table and a clear determination to accelerate Malaysia’s climate agenda. Co-chaired by Bank Negara Malaysia and the Securities Commission Malaysia, the committee welcomed nine new members, bringing a broader and more diverse representation of the financial sector into the conversation.

The European Banking Authority (EBA) has issued a no-action letter signaling a temporary pause on enforcement of important ESG disclosure requirements. The decision comes as financial institutions across Europe brace for yet another wave of sustainability reporting reforms, and the regulators themselves admit things are in flux.