Global investment manager T. Rowe Price and World Bank Group member the International Finance Corporation (IFC) announced the launch of the T. Rowe Price Emerging Markets Blue Economy Bond Strategy (T. Rowe Price Blue), a new fund aimed at investing in companies supporting projects targeting sustainable water management and ocean preservation. The strategy also aims to help catalyze the blue bond…

Snacking, food, and pet care products provider Mars announced the launch of Renewable Acceleration, a new program aimed at accelerating the shift from fossil fuels to clean energy across the company’s operations and its global value chain. Alongside the launch, Mars announced Enel North America as the first energy partner for its new program, with the new agreement including Enel…

Wharton Executive Education and the Principles for Responsible Investment’s PRI Academy announced the launch of the Wharton/PRI Executive Certificate: Impact, Value and the Materiality of Sustainability, a new executive education program focused on responsible investing, and targeted towards corporate leaders, senior investment professionals, and strategists and consultants. According to PRI Academy Director Anthony Roberts, the new program comes “as global…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposed rule to end the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP), a key source of transparency into industrial emissions through mandatory GHG disclosures from thousands of the most carbon-intensive facilities in the U.S. In the agency’s announcement, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin called the rule “burdensome,” with the new proposal aligning with executive orders…

This week in ESG news: ISO, GHG Protocol unify GHG emission measurement and reporting standards; Swiss Re drops commitment to SBTi; SEC threatens IFRS Foundation over support for ISSB; Vanguard finds young investors strongly prefer ESG voting policies; Venture Capital coalition launches fund to scale climate tech startups to commercialization; EU passes law requiring fashion brands to pat to recycle…

The EU’s General Court ruled that nuclear energy and fossil gas activities can be included in the EU Taxonomy, overruling objections from Austria aimed at keeping them out of the classification system of sustainable economic activities. In its decision, the court ruled that in its move to include nuclear and fossil gas in the taxonomy, the EU Commission “was entitled…

GreenIT, an Italian renewable energy joint venture owned by Eni subsidiary Plenitude, and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti holding company CDP Equity, announced that it has signed a €370 million (US$407 million) project financing agreement to develop a portfolio of new onshore renewable projects across Italy. The company aims to reach one gigawatt of installed capacity by 2030. GreenIT was established…

The European Investment Bank (EIB) announced today that it will provide €17.5 billion in funding over the next three years, supported by the European Commission, for the energy efficiency for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) initiative. The EIB said that more than 350,000 businesses will receive support through the initiative, with the program backing energy efficiency and decarbonization steps taken…

Investment manager Vanguard released data from its Investor Choice proxy voting pilot, with results indicating that younger investors and female investors were much more likely to pursue ESG-focused voting policies than their older, or male counterparts. Vanguard launched its Investor Choice pilot in early 2023, offering investors with the ability to select from a range of policy options to meet…

International asset manager Robeco announced the launch of the Climate Euro Government Bond ETF, a new exchange traded fund aimed at offering investors with exposure to euro government bonds through a climate transition-focused investment strategy. The announcement marks the launch of Robeco’s first fixed income ETF, following the listing in October 2024 of the firm’s equity ETFs. The new ETF…