I’ve just returned from a family reunion in the US. Conscious of the carbon footprint of the journey, I’ll attempt to partially offset emissions by extracting some UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-linked considerations from the trip. We were in California and Oregon, where cities are vibrant and the coastline marvellous. UN SDG 15, Life on … Read more
Schroders Reit has published a circular outlining changes in its strategy to improve sustainability and implement decarbonisation measures. The £466m trust, which owns 40 properties, said it is proposing amendments to the investment objective and the investment management agreement. The changes are focused on adapting existing buildings to make them ‘both modern and fit for … Read more
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has published draft revised standards on climate change and energy ahead of COP28 climate talks starting next week. Revising and reviewing existing standards is intended to take them beyond energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The climate change standard is aimed at helping businesses and other organisations disclose: Climate change transition … Read more
European companies are becoming ever-more responsible taxpayers, but a third still lack proper ESG integration on tax matters, this year’s Tax Transparency Benchmark has found. The benchmark, which has been published by the Association of Investors for Sustainable Development (VBDO) and PwC, this year has assessed 116 participating companies (51 from the Netherlands and 65 … Read more
Engagement progress is stalling in many parts of the industry with 30% of companies unable to evidence that ESG is driving specific changes, while hiring for engagement and stewardship roles has come to a standstill. In the latest annual sustainable investment survey carried out by Redington, the number of asset managers hiring dedicated stewardship and … Read more
IFC and T. Rowe Price have released plans to create a blue bond strategy within emerging markets, which the firms hope will increase access to finance for the projects and improve standards for what they call a “nascent” blue bond market. Blue investments encompass returns that support the health, productivity, and sustainability of oceans and … Read more
Invesco has appointed Molly Betournay as director of ESG research. Betournay (pictured) joins from Vermont-based advisory firm Clean Yield Asset Management, where she was director of social research and advocacy. In this role, she led the firm’s ESG research and analysis of public equities, oversaw its proxy voting programme, and designed and implemented long-term shareholder … Read more
Nuclear power is making a global comeback as governments plan for long term energy security amid inflated fossil fuel prices, as well as growing power consumption demand pressures and a backdrop of net-zero transition targets. Since early 2022, at least 14 countries have approved nuclear units or announced supportive policies, and Asia is leading the … Read more
Trade tensions between the US and China, simmering over years of tariffs and restrictions, have recently escalated with China’s move to control graphite exports, a critical resource for the electric vehicle (EV) industry. This strategic play by China, the leading producer contributing to a substantial percentage of the global supply, reverberates through the corridors of … Read more
The UK government has announced a range of measures totalling around £4bn to boost investment in green technologies and clean energy, as part of the Autumn Statement. Today chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced a £960m Green Industries Growth Accelerator (GIGA) fund, to “ensure the UK continues to build strong supply chains and maximises global growth opportunities”. … Read more