Organizations today are wrestling with the implications to their business of climate-related risks and opportunities and their responsibilities with respect to the drive for global carbon reduction. Boards must be active participants in establishing the organization's approach and holding management accountable for progress. While the entire board has a role to play in considering and overseeing management's assessments related to climate change, the audit committee's expertise in financial reporting makes it uniquely well-positioned to support the board in this area.

Climate Change – A Role for Audit Committees, published by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, describes the ways in which the audit committee can assist the board in its oversight of climate change. Osler's Andrew MacDougall, a partner in our Corporate group, and leader of our Corporate Governance practice, was its principal author.

For your interest, here is a link to find out more and to download the publication: Climate Change - A Role for Audit Committees

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.