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<section article="gsp" article_name="State Personnel and Pensions" number="21-116.1" title_number="21" title_name="State Retirement and Pension System" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Administration">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In accordance with the fiduciary responsibilities as described in Subtitle 2 of this title, when managing the assets of the several systems, a fiduciary shall consider the potential systemic risks of the impact of climate change on the assets of the several systems, including monitoring net–zero aligned investments and climate solutions to ensure a path to a long–term sustainable portfolio.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The climate risk assessment required under § 21–116 of this subtitle shall include:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>a review of the total investment portfolio of the several systems to determine the level of climate risk across industry sectors and asset classes that prioritize high–impact sectors responsible for greenhouse gas emissions;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>identifying investment opportunities in:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>emerging technologies in renewable energy; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>transitioning, reducing, and eliminating carbon–emitting technology;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>establishing a process for regular reassessment of the potential systemic risks of the impact of climate change on the assets of the several systems; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>utilization of the best data and practices available in current science, investment strategies, and climate risk analyses.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Based on the information obtained in accordance with subsection (b) of this section, the Chief Investment Officer, subject to the policies adopted by the Board of Trustees:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>shall review and manage the investments of the several systems; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>may choose to invest or divest in funds within the several systems.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The Chief Investment Officer shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>identify environmentally sustainable investment opportunities to support a low–carbon economy;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>develop transition assessments relating to investments in high–impact sectors;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>evaluate whether internal and external investment managers are taking steps to transition to a more sustainable business model aligned with a low–carbon economy; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>work with managers, data providers, index providers, or consultants to identify, analyze, define, and prioritize asset–class specific metrics and minimum standards to evaluate transition readiness and resiliency for companies in high–impact sectors.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The policies of the Board of Trustees shall address and mitigate climate risk in the investment of system assets through:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>direct engagement with managers, brokers, or other entities;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>proxy voting;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>a periodic review and assessment of the effectiveness of procedures used for direct engagement and proxy voting; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>to the extent practicable, the establishment of an advisory panel of experts in the analysis of climate change risk to provide the most current science and data available.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>Any action taken in accordance with this section shall be included in the risk assessment report required under § 21–116 of this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>The Board of Trustees, or any other fiduciary of the several systems as defined in § 21–201(b) of this title, may not be held liable for any actions taken or decisions made in good faith for the purpose of complying with or executing this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>Nothing in this section shall require the Board of Trustees, or any other fiduciary of the several systems as defined in § 21–201(b) of this title, to take action as described in this section unless the Board of Trustees or other fiduciary determines, in good faith, that the action is consistent with the fiduciary responsibilities of the Board of Trustees as described in Subtitle 2 of this title.</text>
  </level>
</section>
