James Uthmeier investigating environmental groups for alleged antitrust violations

Two climate watchdog and consulting organizations are under investigation by Attorney General James Uthmeier for what he says is suspected violations of consumer protection and antitrust laws.

The Climate Disclosure Project (CDP) and the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) have both been served subpoenas after what Uthmeier says was coercion of companies in Florida into “disclosing proprietary data and paying for access under the guise of environmental transparency.”

CDP is an international, multination nonprofit organization designed to guide corporations and their disclosures of environmental footprints. The SBTi claims to align corporate goals with climate research in environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, a methodology for which the Gov. Ron DeSantis administration has taken issue.

“Radical climate activists have hijacked corporate governance and weaponized it against the free market,” Uthmeier said in a news release issued Monday. “Florida will not sit back while international pressure groups shake down American companies to fund their ESG grift. We’re using every tool of the law to stop the ‘Climate Cartel’ from exploiting businesses and misleading consumers.”

Uthmeier accused the two environmental groups of “selling services that allegedly improve (environmental) scores and even offer favorable quotes from CDP executives for a price.”

Uthmeier went on to say the environmental scoring system is linked to access to capital with corporate entities such as Bloomberg and S&P Global, among other institutions.

“SBTi, co-founded by CDP and the United Nations Global Compact, sells companies validation of their climate goals then directs them back to CDP to report their progress, creating what appears to be a profit-driven feedback loop,” the Attorney General’s news release said.

Uthmeier added he’s investigating “deceptive trade practices” and will examine the activity of the organizations to determine if they were selling their service in order to grant better scores and environmental endorsements.

He’s also looking into the possibility the organizations were offering favorable treatment for corporations in exchange for financial incentives along with questioning whether the groups were misrepresenting the objectivity of the process.

Uthmeier also vowed the investigation will look into the possibility of any coordination between CDP and financial and investment institutions and if there was any pressure by CDP on companies that didn’t participate.