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WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 2023
Corporations and climate change State may force large businesses to detail impact By Alejandro Lazo CalMatters Corporations have for years graded themselves on climate change, at times marketing themselves as environmental stewards while failing to fully disclose their emissions. Now California is considering holding corporations more accountable: If approved by the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom, two bills would make California the first state to require large corporations to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and report their risks from climate change. One bill — already approved by the Senate — would force about 5,300 U.S. corporations earning more than $1 billion and doing business in California to annually report their global emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases that contribute to climate change. Another bill that won Senate approval would require more than 10,000 companies with
revenues exceeding $500 million to detail how climate change poses financial risks to their operations, not just in California, but around the world. From Amazon and Bank of America to McDonalds, Chevron and General Motors, any company that meets the revenue thresholds selling or producing goods or services in California
the two bills. “This is basic transparency,” said state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, whose SB253 would mandate emissions reporting for billion-dollar companies doing business in California. “It’s important to know which corporations are walking the walk, especially as we see corporations that market themselves as green.” Leading the opposition are California’s Chamber of Commerce and two consortiums of large and powerful industry groups, including the Western States Petroleum Association, which represents oil companies, the Western Growers Association and an association of stock brokers and investment bankers. The business groups say the emissions estimates could be inaccurate, resulting Illustration by Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters; iStock, Midjourney in misguided public policy, while putting an onerous would have to comply with the uncomfortable — since their full burden on companies. The bill two wide-ranging measures. role in causing climate change “will generate a lot of misinforand its impact on their finances The legislation would force mation,” said CalChamber lobbywould be exposed. companies to reveal their comist Brady Van Engelen. The goal is to provide a more plete carbon footprint, even the In addition, Van Engnelen emissions coming from the con- complete picture of the tons of called the other bill that mansumers who use their products. global gases that large companies dates climate-related financial The laws would inevitably lead to are responsible for and how their risk reports “a gold-plated exerhighly publicized “top polluters” company is affected by the warm- cise in gathering information.” lists that make major corpora- ing climate, according to the tions more accountable — and legislators who introduced See CLIMATE, Page A4
UC leaders react to Court decision Yolo County posts record By Monica Stark Enterprise staff writer In the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling to end affirmative action and their rejection of the Biden administration’s plan to discharge billions of dollars of student loan debt, UC leaders reiterated the commitment to provide equitable access to all Californians. In a statement last week, UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May wrote that affirmative action is intended to account for historical inequities experienced by marginalized communities in higher education and other endeavors and that the Supreme Court has decided
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that this tool is no longer appropriate. He wrote that while pubMAY lic univerUC Davis sities in chancellor California have recruited new classes of students without considering race and gender as main factors since 1996, opportunities available for underrepresented students will become fewer with today’s decision. “I worry that underrepresented students of color and women will find more challenges and obstacles on their way
WEATHER Thursday: Sunny and not as hot. High 87. Low 55.
to fields like mine, engineering, and in other science and technology fields. Without programs that engage students early in their education and encourage them to persist in fields they may not have seen as available to them, our nation may further neglect nurturing intellectual diversity and promote a lack of inclusivity. That takes the country backward, not forward.” He reiterated UCD’s commitment to building on efforts like those at the School of Medicine, where half the class is from Black, Hispanic and Indigenous populations. “We are
See DECISION, Page A4
tax-assessment roll Enterprise staff
WOODLAND — Yolo County experienced another year of growth as reflected in the assessment roll value released today by the county’s Assessor/Clerk-Recorder /Registrar of Voters Jesse Salinas. According to Salinas the annual assessment roll reached $36.13 billion, a 6.87% increase over the prior year. The assessment roll reflects the total net assessed value of all real and business property in Yolo County as of Jan. 1. “Local entities and services depend on the assessment roll values to
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operate,” Salinas said, “including public schools, commuSALINAS nity colYolo County leges, assessor cities and the county. We as a community rely on these invaluable resources and the timely and accurate completion of the assessment roll.”
Yolo County’s assessment roll was delivered
See ASSESSMENT, Page A4
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