After years of discussions and hints, the Securities and Exchange Commission finally released its proposed environmental disclosure rule for public company reporting. They include greenhouse gas emissions; how the company governs and manages climate-related risks; actual or likely material impacts on business, strategy, and outlook; financial statement metrics; and information about climate-related goals and any transition plans.

Getting the information and making the determinations will be a challenge for any sized company that comes under the SEC's purview. But there are significant questions about who is responsible for gathering and reporting information from commercial real estate facilities.

"This is a prime example of market participants like ESG investors and large companies (appropriately) acting like the adults in the room," Blaine Townsend, executive vice president as well as director of sustainable, responsible, and impact investing at wealth and investment management firm Bailard, said in a statement to GlobeSt.com.