Florida prosecutor investigates global environmental consulting firms for "coercing" companies

Miami (USA), July 28 (EFE).- Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced an investigation Monday into international environmental consulting firms, which he called a "climate cartel," for allegedly "coercing" companies in exchange for publishing favorable indicators for the companies.

The prosecutor's office issued subpoenas to the CDP (formerly known as the Climate Disclosure Project), the largest international platform for measuring corporate transparency and environmental actions, and to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), which helps companies comply with the Paris Agreement.

The Florida government accused these organizations of "violating state consumer protection or antitrust laws by coercing companies to disclose proprietary data and pay for access under the guise of environmental transparency."

"Radical climate activists have hijacked corporate governance and exploited it against the free market," the prosecutor said in a statement.

Uthmeier framed the investigation within the context of the Florida government's fight against environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, which serve to promote corporate social responsibility.

The CDP is an international non-profit organization through which thousands of companies publish their environmental indicators, while the SBTi is an initiative that, since 2015, has helped companies set goals to reduce their emissions and comply with the Paris Agreement.

But the Florida prosecutor accused them of "profiting" from this information.

"Florida will not stand idly by while international lobbyists shake down American companies to fund their ESG scam. We are using every tool of the law to stop the climate cartel from exploiting businesses and deceiving consumers," Uthmeier said.

The investigation will examine the organizations' "deceptive" business practices, such as whether they have sold services to improve environmental ratings, created incentives for corporations to pay in exchange for favorable treatment, or lied about the objectivity of data.

Florida passed a law prohibiting officials from investing public money to promote environmental, social, and governance goals and prohibiting the consideration of these factors in investments—one of the most aggressive pieces of legislation targeting ESG goals in the United States. EFE