Ryerson CSR Institute Talk: Climate Crisis - Corporate Boards on the Hotseat

This talk is co-sponsored by the Ryerson Corporate Social Responsibility Student Association, the Ryerson Commerce and Government Association, and the Ryerson Law and Business Student Association, and is supported by the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada.

"It is no longer possible to have both a safe, predictable climate that sustains our lives and economy and unlimited fossil fuel use. The climate crisis is not a normal negotiation between different interests, where solutions come from compromise. The climate crisis is a collision between human beings and physics. Physics doesn't compromise. We’re already close to the edge of disaster, and beginning to see the end of 'normal' weather.  Corporate boards that continue business as usual are ignoring the scale and pace of this collision, and making decisions that will perceptibly worsen economic and other damage during the lives of today’s children. This exposes them to liability both for inadequate disclosure, and for their contribution to climate damage." -- Dr. Dianne Saxe

Dr. Saxe's talk explores the nature and implications of this liability particularly in the Canadian context, and speculates on possible corporate responses to avoid liability.

Dr. Dianne Saxe (LLB., Ph.D in Law) is one of Canada’s most respected environmental lawyers, and was the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario from 2015 to 2019. She was appointed unanimously by all Members of Provincial Parliament to report to the Legislature on Ontario’s environmental, energy and climate performance, and to be the guardian of the Environmental Bill of Rights. She now heads Saxe Facts, a business providing strategic advice and presentations on climate, energy and environment.