Episode Description
Before we start: the SEC has just proposed scrapping mandatory climate disclosure rules completely. And American business didn't blink.
This week we're looking at the gap between what Washington is doing on climate, and what US business is actually doing with its money. Stick with me, because by the end of this you'll have three things you can check in your own business this week.
Here's the backdrop. The SEC has proposed rescinding its 2024 climate disclosure rules in full, and it's opened a sixty-day comment period to do it. Commissioner Hester Peirce says the rules exceed the authority Congress gave the SEC. Commissioner Mark Uyeda called them a cautionary tale about regulators overreaching. Chairman Paul Atkins says disclosure rules should never dictate corporate behaviour.
At the same time, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act cut short the tax credit window for solar and wind. Developers had until July 4th 2026 to prove they'd started construction, or lose access to credits that were meant to run until the early 2030s. On paper, this is a double retreat: less disclosure, less incentive.
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I'm Will Richardson, Head of Ecosystems at 51toCarbonZero and a sustainability advisor with 25 years in the field. I founded Green Element in 2004 and spent two decades building it into one of Europe's most respected sustainability consultancies before it merged with 51toCarbonZero in November 2025. Climate action is both an obligation and an opportunity, and that's the thread running through everything I write here. I co-created Compare Your Footprint, carbon accounting software recognised as a key player in the Global Carbon Accounting Software Market, and I'm a Fellow of IEMA and a Chartered Environmentalist. Each week, I break down what's actually happening in sustainability: the data, the regulation, the greenwash worth calling out, and the practical steps businesses can take right now. No jargon, no doom-mongering, just clear thinking for people who need to make real decisions. I also host the Sustainability Solved podcast with Charlie Luxton, 200+ episodes and counting, where we talk to the people building the solutions. Based in Scotland. Writing for business leaders who want sustainability to make commercial sense, not just moral sense.
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