More company climate votes ahead, as Trump may loosen energy rulesBOSTON (Reuters) - Activist shareholders plan a record number of resolutions focused on climate change at U.S. company annual meetings in 2017, even as President-elect Donald Trump looks set to loosen environmental regulations. Based on filings so far, U.S. companies are on track to face roughly 200 resolutions on climate matters at their shareholder meetings next year, according to Rob Berridge, who follows the subject for Ceres, a sustainability advocacy group.  There were 174 such resolutions this year, Berridge said, compared with 167 in 2015 and 148 in 2014. Many have been directed at big oil and gas companies, though other sectors have also been targeted, including technology and retail. Activist shareholders broadly aim to curb companies’ carbon emissions and make energy usage more efficient, or at the very least, to draw the attention of companies and investors to climate change as an urgent problem.  They have had some limited success. Investors at Exxon Mobil Corp the world’s largest publicly traded oil producer, passed a measure this year that could lead to an environmental activist joining its board. “Our position is that the risk of climate change is clear and warrants action,” said Exxon spokesman Alan Jeffers. The rising number of shareholder votes reflects a growing concern among big investors about the environment, encouraged by steps by some boards to embrace reforms.  Deadlines are fast approaching to get resolutions on the ballot for shareholder meetings to be held in the spring. The election victory of Trump, who is set to take over as U.S. president on Jan. 20, only seems to have added impetus.  On the campaign trail, Trump dismissed human-caused climate change as a “hoax” and pledged to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency. He also threatened to withdraw the United States from the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement to combat climate change, although he appeared to step back from that position on Tuesday. He vowed instead to revive the U.S. coal industry, encourage oil drilling and to scale back regulation of the energy sector.  “Despite what the administration may or may not do, I really believe that corporations understand the risks posed by climate change,” said Danielle Fugere, president of As You Sow, a  California nonprofit campaign group. It sponsored 18 climate-related shareholder resolutions in 2016 and expects to file a bigger number next year. One resolution for 2017 calls on Anadarko Petroleum Corp to report on how it would address the risk of so-called stranded assets, such as high-cost deepwater project investments, that might be caused by a drop in demand for oil and gas. The idea won support from 42 percent of shares voted at the company’s 2016 meeting, up from 29 percent in 2015. Anadarko’s board last year called the idea “unnecessary and unproductive.” Spokesman John Christiansen said it is reviewing the proposal. To be sure, among S&P 500 companies, investor support for climate resolutions has been relatively weak, holding steady around 22 percent since 2014, according to research firm Fund Votes.  But activists often won more backing for ideas such as urging companies to report on their strategy for dealing with climate change, according to the Sustainable Investments Institute, a research firm specializing in shareholder votes, supported by universities, pension funds and other institutional investors.  Anne Simpson, director of sustainability for the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (Calpers), which manages about $300 billion, said it plans to file or back resolutions at U.S. oil and gas companies for 2017, though she declined to discuss specifics.  Last year the boards of mining companies including Rio Tinto Plc and Glencore Plc endorsed resolutions Calpers submitted calling for reports on climate risk, and the measures passed by wide margins.  More companies will likely embrace shareholder proposals to head off disruption caused by climate change, Simpson said. “Economics is driving this, not politics,” she said. politicsNews
more company climate votes ahead trump may loose energy rulesboston reuters activist shareholders plan record number resolutions focused climate change company annual meetings even donald trump looks set loose environmental regulations based filings far companies track face roughly resolutions climate matters shareholder meetings next year according rob bridge follows subject ceres sustainability advocacy group there resolutions year bridge said compared many directed big oil gas companies though sectors also targeted including technology retail activist shareholders broadly aim curb companies carbon emissions make energy usage efficient least draw attention companies investors climate change urgent problem they limited success investors exon mobil corp world largest publicly traded oil producer passed measure year could lead environmental activist joining board our position risk climate change clear warrants action said exon spokesman alan offers the rising number shareholder votes reflects growing concern among big investors environment encouraged steps boards embrace reforms deadlines fast approaching get resolutions ballot shareholder meetings held spring the election victory trump set take president seems added impetus on campaign trail trump dismissed climate change hoax pledged dismantle environmental protection agency he also threatened withdraw united states landmark paris agreement combat climate change although appeared step back position tuesday he vowed instead revive coal industry encourage oil drilling scale back regulation energy sector despite administration may may i really believe corporations understand risks posed climate change said danielle future president as you sow california nonprofit campaign group it sponsored shareholder resolutions expects file bigger number next year one resolution calls anadarko petroleum corp report would address risk stranded assets deepwater project investments might caused drop demand oil gas the idea support percent shares voted company meeting percent anadarko board last year called idea unnecessary spokesman john christians said reviewing proposal to sure among s p companies investor support climate resolutions relatively weak holding steady around percent since according research firm fund votes but activists often backing ideas urging companies report strategy dealing climate change according sustainable investments institute research firm specializing shareholder votes supported universities pension funds institutional investors anne simpson director sustainability california public employees retirement system campers manages billion said plans file back resolutions oil gas companies though declined discuss specifics last year boards mining companies including rio into plc encore plc endorsed resolutions campers submitted calling reports climate risk measures passed wide margins more companies likely embrace shareholder proposals head disruption caused climate change simpson said economics driving politics said politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: More company climate votes ahead, as Trump may loosen energy rulesBOSTON (Reuters) - Activist shareholders plan a record number of resolutions focused on climate change at U.S. company annual meetings in 2017, even as President-elect Donald Trump looks set to loosen environmental regulations. Based on filings so far, U.S. companies are on track to face roughly 200 resolutions on climate matters at their shareholder meetings next year, according to Rob Berridge, who follows the subject for Ceres, a sustainability advocacy group.  There were 174 such resolutions this year, Berridge said, compared with 167 in 2015 and 148 in 2014. Many have been directed at big oil and gas companies, though other sectors have also been targeted, including technology and retail. Activist shareholders broadly aim to curb companies’ carbon emissions and make energy usage more efficient, or at the very least, to draw the attention of companies and investors to climate change as an urgent problem.  They have had some limited success. Investors at Exxon Mobil Corp the world’s largest publicly traded oil producer, passed a measure this year that could lead to an environmental activist joining its board. “Our position is that the risk of climate change is clear and warrants action,” said Exxon spokesman Alan Jeffers. The rising number of shareholder votes reflects a growing concern among big investors about the environment, encouraged by steps by some boards to embrace reforms.  Deadlines are fast approaching to get resolutions on the ballot for shareholder meetings to be held in the spring. The election victory of Trump, who is set to take over as U.S. president on Jan. 20, only seems to have added impetus.  On the campaign trail, Trump dismissed human-caused climate change as a “hoax” and pledged to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency. He also threatened to withdraw the United States from the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement to combat climate change, although he appeared to step back from that position on Tuesday. He vowed instead to revive the U.S. coal industry, encourage oil drilling and to scale back regulation of the energy sector.  “Despite what the administration may or may not do, I really believe that corporations understand the risks posed by climate change,” said Danielle Fugere, president of As You Sow, a  California nonprofit campaign group. It sponsored 18 climate-related shareholder resolutions in 2016 and expects to file a bigger number next year. One resolution for 2017 calls on Anadarko Petroleum Corp to report on how it would address the risk of so-called stranded assets, such as high-cost deepwater project investments, that might be caused by a drop in demand for oil and gas. The idea won support from 42 percent of shares voted at the company’s 2016 meeting, up from 29 percent in 2015. Anadarko’s board last year called the idea “unnecessary and unproductive.” Spokesman John Christiansen said it is reviewing the proposal. To be sure, among S&P 500 companies, investor support for climate resolutions has been relatively weak, holding steady around 22 percent since 2014, according to research firm Fund Votes.  But activists often won more backing for ideas such as urging companies to report on their strategy for dealing with climate change, according to the Sustainable Investments Institute, a research firm specializing in shareholder votes, supported by universities, pension funds and other institutional investors.  Anne Simpson, director of sustainability for the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (Calpers), which manages about $300 billion, said it plans to file or back resolutions at U.S. oil and gas companies for 2017, though she declined to discuss specifics.  Last year the boards of mining companies including Rio Tinto Plc and Glencore Plc endorsed resolutions Calpers submitted calling for reports on climate risk, and the measures passed by wide margins.  More companies will likely embrace shareholder proposals to head off disruption caused by climate change, Simpson said. “Economics is driving this, not politics,” she said. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: more company climate votes ahead trump may loose energy rulesboston reuters activist shareholders plan record number resolutions focused climate change company annual meetings even donald trump looks set loose environmental regulations based filings far companies track face roughly resolutions climate matters shareholder meetings next year according rob bridge follows subject ceres sustainability advocacy group there resolutions year bridge said compared many directed big oil gas companies though sectors also targeted including technology retail activist shareholders broadly aim curb companies carbon emissions make energy usage efficient least draw attention companies investors climate change urgent problem they limited success investors exon mobil corp world largest publicly traded oil producer passed measure year could lead environmental activist joining board our position risk climate change clear warrants action said exon spokesman alan offers the rising number shareholder votes reflects growing concern among big investors environment encouraged steps boards embrace reforms deadlines fast approaching get resolutions ballot shareholder meetings held spring the election victory trump set take president seems added impetus on campaign trail trump dismissed climate change hoax pledged dismantle environmental protection agency he also threatened withdraw united states landmark paris agreement combat climate change although appeared step back position tuesday he vowed instead revive coal industry encourage oil drilling scale back regulation energy sector despite administration may may i really believe corporations understand risks posed climate change said danielle future president as you sow california nonprofit campaign group it sponsored shareholder resolutions expects file bigger number next year one resolution calls anadarko petroleum corp report would address risk stranded assets deepwater project investments might caused drop demand oil gas the idea support percent shares voted company meeting percent anadarko board last year called idea unnecessary spokesman john christians said reviewing proposal to sure among s p companies investor support climate resolutions relatively weak holding steady around percent since according research firm fund votes but activists often backing ideas urging companies report strategy dealing climate change according sustainable investments institute research firm specializing shareholder votes supported universities pension funds institutional investors anne simpson director sustainability california public employees retirement system campers manages billion said plans file back resolutions oil gas companies though declined discuss specifics last year boards mining companies including rio into plc encore plc endorsed resolutions campers submitted calling reports climate risk measures passed wide margins more companies likely embrace shareholder proposals head disruption caused climate change simpson said economics driving politics said politicsnews