Are Your Aspirations Attainable? New York Attorney General Challenges "Net Zero" Claims

The Bottom Line

• The New York AG is challenging JBS's claim that it can reach net zero carbon emissions while increasing the production of beef products.
• Don't underestimate self-regulation – the New York AG's lawsuit is hot on the heels of a NAD decision.
• Aspirational environmental benefit claims should be based on a feasible plan to achieve an environmental goal. While some courts may take a different view (as we previously discussed), these claims remain an enforcement priority of regulators and self-regulators.

63% of Americans are influenced by a corporation's environmental reputation when making purchasing decisions – and 48% of Americans "have either chosen one product over another or stopped purchasing a product based on the environmental record" of the product's manufacturer.