Last week, I blogged about the looming August 10 deadline for GHG reporting under CA 253. Almost immediately after, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced a deferral. Companies will now be given until November 10, 2026 to issue their inaugural reports. CARB states in a press release:
“The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is updating its regulatory proposal to defer the reporting deadline for entities to report Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from August 10, 2026, to November 10, 2026. This three-month deferral will give reporting entities additional time following the formal adoption of Proposed California Corporate Greenhouse Gas Reporting and Climate-Related Financial Risk Disclosure Initial Regulation, if approved by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL), at Title 17, California Code of Regulations (CCR), Article 6, sections 96070-96077 (the “Initial Regulation”).”
In addition to announcing the deferment, CARB also notes that the agency will be pursuing regulatory tweaks. These changes are designed to clarify ambiguities in the statutory language and will give disclosing companies greater clarity. These limited amendments are subject to a 15-day public comment period, after which official adoption is expected. This deferment gives in-scope companies some breathing room, but shouldn’t be considered grounds for inaction. The first year of enforcement is still expected to be relaxed, and CARB is looking for good faith compliance, not immaculate reports. Even still, Scope 1 and 2 reporting can be challenging, especially for first-time reporters.
Our members can learn more about GHG disclosures here.
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