Join Sphera’s expert-led webinar to learn how to navigate SB 261 and SB 253 and comply with 2026 deadlines. Discover how to prepare climate-related financial risk reports with scenario analysis and accurate, assurance-ready Scope 1, 2 and 3 reporting.
The deadline for thousands of businesses to begin reporting climate-related financial risk and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in California is approaching. And Sphera has a webinar to help you prepare.
Starting in January, U.S. companies will face climate-related disclosure requirements under the California Climate Accountability Package based on data collected this year.
The law requires large companies doing business in California to publicly disclose climate-related financial risk in January of 2026 and Scopes 1, 2 emissions in June 2026, followed by Scope 3 in 2027.
The California Climate Accountability Package comprises two bills:
- SB 253 — Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act
Mandates public and private companies with more than $1 billion in annual revenue to disclose their full GHG emissions inventory (Scopes 1, 2 and 3).
- SB 261 — Climate-Related Financial Risk Act
Requires companies with more than $500 million in annual revenue to report identified climate-related financial risks and to publish plans for mitigating those risks.
Once grace periods expire, noncompliance will trigger financial penalties. The measures are also influencing emerging climate disclosure legislation in other states, including New York.
Key timelines
For many companies, emissions reporting for SB 253 is already underway or about to begin, with Scope 1 and 2 disclosures due June 30, 2026. Scope 3 emissions reporting is not required until 2027, but a full inventory can take months, depending on organizational complexity and data availability.
Under SB 261, the climate risk disclosure deadline arrives earlier. Companies must submit a climate-related financial risk report and scenario analysis to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) by January 1, 2026.
Even organizations that appear prepared for the first round of disclosures face a moving target as regulatory guidance continues to evolve.
This webinar will help companies prepare by:
- Providing updates on CARB implementation guidance and clarifications
- Explaining reporting requirements across all three scopes
- Diving in deep on Scope 3 methodologies, data challenges and strategic opportunities
- Mapping overlaps between California, New York and other U.S. state regulations
- Reviewing CARB checklists, timing and sequencing
- Walking through climate risk assessment and scenario analysis
- Sharing steps to leverage technology for efficient data collection and third-party assurance readiness
First of a four-part series
This is the first session in Sphera’s new four-part regulatory webinar series, Navigating What’s Next in Sustainability Reporting and Climate Disclosure, designed to equip companies with the knowledge and strategies needed to comply with the world’s most consequential climate reporting mandates.
Other webinars in the series include:
- Aligning to the EU Taxonomy in Preparation for Regulatory Changes
- CSRD Update: Insights on the Simplified ESRS Draft
- Compliance-ready by design: Harnessing LCAs, PCFs and EPDs for evolving regulations
With CCDAA reporting just weeks away, now is the time to fully prepare. Sphera can help you every step of the way. Talk to an expert to get started with SB 261 and SB 253 reporting.
