This week in ESG news: Biden administration sets new U.S. climate goals on eve of Trump takeover; new sustainability reporting standards for Canada, Hong Kong; BlackRock removed from Indiana pension funds over ESG investing; EU passes law requiring 100% recyclable packaging by 2030; UK bans Lloyds ad for greenwashing; Walmart says it will probably miss climate targets; SAP launches new…
Walmart to Miss 2025, 2030 Climate Targets
Walmart does not expect to hit its interim climate goals, including its targets to reduce operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 35% by 2025 and by 65% by 2030, according to a new post on the company’s website, citing “factors beyond our control,” including a lack of low carbon refrigeration and mobility technologies, and clean energy policy and infrastructure. The…
Sustainability: A Double-Edged Sword
Sustainability, a term once associated with idealistic corporate citizenship, has evolved into a complex and often contentious issue. It’s a double-edged sword, simultaneously hailed as a crucial global priority and dismissed as a passing trend.
EV Infrastructure Provider JET Charge Raises $45 Million
Australia-based JET Charge, which supplies and installs chargers for electric vehicles, has raised AUD $72 million (USD $45 million) in a new funding round, with proceeds aimed at supporting its buildout of EV charging infrastructure across Australia and New Zealand. Founded by Tim Washington and Ellen Liang in 2012, Melbourne-based JET Charge supplies and installs electric vehicle chargers and infrastructure,…
Bill Gates-Backed Climate Solutions Fund Invests $40 Million in Canadian Carbon Removal Startup Deep Sky
Carbon removal project developer Deep Sky announced that it has secured a USD $40 million grant commitment from Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, a climate solutions-focused initiative founded by Bill Gates, with proceeds aimed at supporting the construction of the company’s first Direct Air Capture Facility, Deep Sky Alpha. Founded in 2022, Montreal-based Deep Sky was established as a technology-agnostic carbon removal…
Outgoing Biden Administration Sets New 2035 U.S. Climate Goal
The Biden administration announced today the release of a new goal to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 61% – 66% by 2035, on a 2005 basis. While the target comes only weeks before President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office, and is widely to expected to roll back key climate initiatives, Biden administration officials expressed confidence in the…
Canada’s CSSB Releases IFRS-Based Sustainability and Climate Reporting Standards
The Canadian Sustainability Standards Board (CSSB) announced the publication of its finalized Canadian Sustainability Disclosure Standards (CSDSs), largely aligned with the global standards released by the IFRS Foundation’s International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), but adding more time for companies to prepare for some key elements of reporting, such as on value chain GHG emissions, compared to the ISSB standards. The release…
Trane Acquires Building Energy and Emissions Reduction Solutions Provider BrainBox AI
HVAC and climate control solutions company Trane Technologies announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire BrainBox AI, which has developed an artificial intelligence and cloud-based building systems optimization tool aimed at helping building owners to accelerate decarbonization and reduce energy consumption. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, BrainBox AI utilizes artificial intelligence to predict building energy needs and automate…
TNFD, CSRD to Nurture Demand for Nature Data in 2025
Investors expected to rely on technology to handle increasing information flows, as IPBES underlines nature dependencies and urgent need for transformational change. Demand for nature data and related solutions will accelerate in 2025, driven by industry initiatives and mandatory reporting requirements, set against a backdrop of increasing pressure on policymakers to accelerate nature-positive policy action. According to pitch participants at…
IOSCO Launches Network to Support Adoption of ISSB Sustainability Reporting Standards in Emerging Markets
IOSCO, the leading international policy forum and standards setter for securities regulators, announced the launch of the GEMC Network for Adoption or Other Use of ISSB Standards, a new network aimed at supporting the adoption and use of the IFRS Foundation’s sustainability reporting standards in emerging markets. The launch of the new network follows the release last year by the…