Officials seek companies' data on impacts of climate change (Maine)

[jpak]

http://www.bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=154405&zoneid=500

Maine’s state treasurer and a dozen other financial officials from across the nation are asking federal regulators to begin requiring that publicly traded companies disclose how climate change could affect their bottom lines.

In a petition filed Tuesday, the group is asking that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission begin requiring publicly traded companies to assess and disclose any financial risks tied to climate change. Examples of information that might be disclosed included future physical risks to infrastructure, financial risks from greenhouse gas regulation and legal issues from climate change.

In addition to Maine State Treasurer David Lemoine, the list of petitioners includes a dozen financial or legal officials from other states, public retirement funds, environmental groups and nonprofit organizations.

The coalition members argue that disclosure of potential impact from climate change is consistent with other types of information that public corporations already are required to spell out in corporate filings with the SEC.

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