Florida Attorney General targets 'climate cartel' in major consumer protection probe

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (CBS12) — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is investigating two global climate organizations for allegedly coercing companies into costly environmental disclosures.

Uthmeier launched a sweeping investigation on Monday into two global climate disclosure organizations, alleging they may have violated state consumer protection and antitrust laws by coercing companies into costly environmental reporting schemes.

According to the news release, the probe centers on the CDP (formerly the Climate Disclosure Project) and the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), which Uthmeier’s office refers to collectively as the “Climate Cartel.” Subpoenas have been issued to determine whether the groups misled businesses and consumers under the guise of environmental transparency.

“Radical climate activists have hijacked corporate governance and weaponized it against the free market,” Uthmeier said. “Florida will not sit back while international pressure groups shake down American companies to fund their ESG grift.”

The Florida Attorney General’s office is examining whether CDP and SBTi engaged in deceptive trade practices, including:

• Selling services to improve environmental scores and secure public endorsements
• Creating pay-to-play incentives for favorable treatment
• Misrepresenting the objectivity of environmental data used by investors and consumers

The investigation also explores potential antitrust violations, such as:

• Coordinated efforts between CDP, financial institutions, and investment services that may amount to unlawful market manipulation
• Punitive tactics against companies that refuse to participate, potentially resulting in anticompetitive effects

Founded in the UK, CDP operates the world’s largest environmental disclosure system, charging companies to report and revise data, according to the Florida AG’s office. Its scoring system is reportedly used by major financial players including Bloomberg, S&P Global, and Santander to guide investment decisions.

See also: ‘You have no rights’ Border Patrol tells teenage U.S. citizen during Florida traffic stop

Additionally, SBTi, co-founded by CDP and the United Nations Global Compact, validates corporate climate goals and feeds data back into CDP’s system — raising concerns about a profit-driven feedback loop that may mislead stakeholders.

Find more ways to stay up to date with your latest local news. Sign up for our newsletter to get the day’s top headlines delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the biggest stories and can’t miss video.