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State Attorneys General target Big Four accounting firms and NASEM climate report
A coalition of 16 state attorneys general is investigating the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms—Deloitte, KPMG, Ernst & Young, and PwC—alleging they have pushed climate-related disclosures on clients. Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers stated that these commitments may violate professional independence and impose burdensome costs on small businesses and farmers, which could ultimately increase prices for consumers.
Separately, the coalition has alleged that the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) produced a biased climate-attribution report. The attorneys general claim the July report, which links extreme weather events to climate change, was shaped by researchers and advocates connected to climate litigation, such as the Suncor Energy case currently before the Supreme Court. They further characterized NASEM’s internal review of its climate work as a ‘sham’ due to a lack of transparency and potential conflicts of interest.
Entities
Deloitte · Ernst & Young · KPMG · National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine · PricewaterhouseCoopers
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A coalition of 16 state attorneys general is investigating the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms for allegedly pushing climate-related accounting on clients. nemosnewsnetwork.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The coalition alleges NASEM’s July report on extreme weather attribution was influenced by funders and researchers connected to climate litigation. conservativedailynews.com · dailycaller.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] State attorneys general allege that a climate report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) was biased and designed to support lawsuits against fossil fuel companies. conservativedailynews.com · dailycaller.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The ‘Big Four’ accounting firms—Deloitte, KPMG, Ernst & Young, and PwC—provide approximately 80 percent of all public company audits. nemosnewsnetwork.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers stated that climate commitments from accounting firms increase service costs and create onerous requirements for small businesses and farmers. nemosnewsnetwork.com