In mid-November the UK chancellor Rishi Sunak began to set out the government’s post-Brexit plan for financial services.
Sunak announced the government’s plans to sell the first ever green gilt in 2021, along with a number of legislative changes for UK-domiciled companies.
Notably, from 2025, the UK will become the first country in the world to force companies to disclose any climate-related threats to their business.
In any conversation on environmental finance or ESG more broadly, one thing is clear: disclosure is key, so by forcing the hand of all UK companies, surely this move is positive. However critics could – and often do – argue that excessive regulation in this space can stifle innovation and, of course, hit returns. At the same time, 2025 is a long way away - is it too little, too late?
With all of this in mind, this month IFLR is polling readers on whether other governments should follow the UK's lead and force companies to disclose climate-related risks. Vote now - it takes less than 30 seconds.