ESG. Net zero. Carbon neutral. During the year, all of these terms were (and will continue to be) widely reported in mainstream media publications, corporate governance and shareholder materials, and regulatory filings and issuances. Although each term refers to something different from the others, at their core these phrases reflect growing public awareness in the US and abroad regarding the presence of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere and the greenhouse gas (GHG) impact of individual and corporate actions. emissions. For example, net zero refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gases produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere. In today's world, these terms and phrases are used for more than just words. Corporate documents or individual statements that refer to environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment criteria, achieving net zero or promoting net neutrality initiatives often do so with specific, targeted actions in mind to achieve certain goals. This of course raises the threshold question of how an entity or individual can achieve reduced GHG targets or demonstrate net zero operations. (Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP)