Climate Change Regulations: Strategies for Reducing Corporate Risks and Liabilities
Prepare Now as Pressure Mounts for Tougher Federal Oversight
Western Climate Initiative Announced Recommendations for for Regional Cap and Trade Program
Recording of a 90-minute CLE webinar with Q&A
Outline
- International and national context
- Kyoto Protocol: ratification and obligations
- U.S. refusal to ratify Kyoto Protocol
- U.S. actions
- Regulatory action
- Potential liability concerns for corporations
- D&O liability
- Shareholder initiatives
- SEC disclosures
- Insurance industry response
- Litigation against major GHG emitters
- Developing a response
- Responding to Climate Change
- New kinds of business risks
- New paradigms: Natural step, biomimicry, closed-loop, energy-IT swap
- Business implications of pending judicial and international regulatory initiatives
- Developing a plan to manage risk
- Business opportunities
- Renewable energy development
- Energy conservation
- Emissions controls and sequestration
- Clean Development Mechanism/Joint Implementation projects
- Anticipating likely federal actions
- Agency action
- Legislation
- Political outlook
- Transition issues should U.S. join Kyoto or post-Kyoto
Benefits
The panel will review these and other key questions:
- What is the current state of the state and federal regulatory environment concerning climate change?
- What are the potential legal exposures for companies whose operations involve potentially harmful emissions — and how can those risks be mitigated?
- What are the key elements of an effective response plan for businesses dealing with climate change risks and liabilities?
Faculty

Michael B. Gerrard
Center for Climate Change Law
Columbia Law School
He joined the Columbia law faculty in January and became Senior Counsel to Arnold & Porter, where he practiced... | Read More
He joined the Columbia law faculty in January and became Senior Counsel to Arnold & Porter, where he practiced environmental law and was the managing partner of the New York office. He handled the environmental aspects of numerous transactions and development projects, and provided regulatory compliance advice to clients in both the private and public sectors.
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Jeffrey A. Smith
Partner
Cravath Swaine & Moore
His practice encompasses environmental matters relating to financings, underwritings and mergers and acquisitions,... | Read More
His practice encompasses environmental matters relating to financings, underwritings and mergers and acquisitions, nationally and internationally in all industries, including the financial sector. He provides day-to-day counseling on environmental regulatory and compliance issues and advice on environmental litigation, including mass toxic torts and asbestos defense and related insurance issues.
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Andrew McKeon
Principal
carbonRational
He is the founder of carbonRational and one of its principals. He focuses on how sound management theory points towards... | Read More
He is the founder of carbonRational and one of its principals. He focuses on how sound management theory points towards addressing anthropogenic climate change at a systems level.
CloseAccess Anytime, Anywhere
Strafford will process CLE credit for one person on each recording. All formats include course handouts.
CLE On-Demand Audio