Headlines around rare earth minerals and tariffs have dominated news cycles of late. But the ethics of extractives has long been a deeper concern for ethical investors, particularly around the sourcing of conflict minerals – natural resources mined in regions affected by armed conflict. See also: Castlefield’s Ita McMahon: Engaging on AI Although separate to rare earth commodities, conflict minerals…
U.S. Court Strikes Down “Unlawful” Trump Ban on Wind Energy Projects
A U.S. federal court struck down an executive order by President Trump aimed at freezing new wind energy developments across the country, agreeing with a coalition of 18 State Attorneys General that the administration’s order was “arbitrary and capricious and contrary to law.” The ruling follows a Presidential Memorandum signed by Trump on his first day in office, indefinitely halting…
EU Lawmakers Strike Deal to Cut Sustainability Reporting, Due Diligence Laws
Lawmakers in the European Parliament and Council announced on Tuesday that they have reached a provisional agreement on the Omnibus proposal to simplify and reduce sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements for companies. The agreement, if approved by the Parliament and Council, would dramatically reduce the number of companies covered by the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD),…
Osmosis Launches $80 Million Emerging Markets Sustainable Equity Fund
Sustainability-focused asset manager Osmosis Investment Management announced the launch of the Osmosis Emerging Markets Core Equity Transition Fund, a new fund aimed at providing investors with exposure to emerging markets growth in addition to environmental progress, through investments in companies that use resources to efficiently reduce carbon, water and waste exposure. Founded in 2009, Osmosis manages $16.6 billion in sustainable…
Meta Signs 2.5 GW of U.S. Clean Energy Deals with NextEra
Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp owner Meta and energy infrastructure provider NextEra Energy announced today a series of new clean energy deals, with the social media giant agreeing to purchase approximately 2.3 GW of solar power and over 165 MW of energy storage from new clean energy projects across the U.S. The new contracts include power purchase agreements for 2.1 GW…
CalSTRS Appoints Nick Abel as Director of Sustainable Investment and Stewardship Strategies
The California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), one of the largest public pension funds in the U.S., announced the appointment of Nick Abel as Sustainable Investment and Stewardship Strategies investment director (SISS), responsible for leading and managing the CalSTRS SISS team. Abel has worked at CalSTRS since 2020, serving as Portfolio Manager for SISS. Prior to joining CalSTRS, he served…
Diginex to Acquire Carbon Accounting and Reporting Platform Plan A
Sustainability RegTech company Diginex announced that it has signed a non-binding MOU to acquire carbon measurement, reporting and reduction software provider Plan A, with the transaction aimed at creating a comprehensive AI-powered ESG and carbon management platform. Founded by CEO Lubomila Jordanova in 2017, Germany-based Plan A provides a SaaS platform focused on corporate carbon accounting, decarbonization, and reporting, enabling…
Hiring Rate for Workers with Green Skills Dramatically Outpaces Broader Market as Demand Outpaces Supply: Linkedin Survey
Workers that have acquired green skills are seeing substantial career benefits, including seeing hiring rates far above their peers, as corporate demand for green workers continues to outpace the pace of new green skills development in the workforce, and as workers with green skills are increasingly hired for roles beyond those with specific sustainability titles, according to a new study…
ESG Today: Week in Review
This week in ESG news: New European sustainability reporting standards to reduce CSRD datapoints by more than 70%; NYC comptroller pushes to drop BlackRock, Fidelity for inadequate net zero plans; UK FCA launches proposed regulations for ESG ratings providers; Brookfield, CVC each acquire renewable energy platforms; Bank of England raises climate risk management expectations for banks and insurers; EU lawmakers…