Andy Garraway, Head of Climate Policy at Risilience, considers what Donald Trump’s second stint in the White House means for global sustainability efforts. Week one of Donald Trump’s second stint as US President sees the world of climate diplomacy on tenterhooks. Will Trump derail hard-won progress that seeks to align global finance with net zero? While sustainability is…
France Calls on EU to Delay, Water Down Sustainability Reporting and Due Diligence Requirements
The government of France has called for a significant implementation delay and major amendments to some of the key European sustainability reporting and environmental due diligence regulations introduced over the past few years, in a bid to help reduce bureaucratic burdens and simplify compliance obligations for companies, and for small and medium-sized businesses in particular. In a submission sent to…
AllianzGI, EIB Raise €450 Million for Emerging Markets-Focused Climate Fund
Allianz Global Investors (AllianzGI) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced today that they have raised €450 million (USD$468 million) for their joint Emerging Markets Climate Action Fund (EMCAF), aimed at mobilizing financing for climate-focused projects in emerging and developing countries. The final close of the fund comes following a €20 million top- up from Germany’s KfW, on behalf of the…
Geothermal Tech Startup Bedrock Raises $12 Million to Scale Carbon-Free HVAC for Buildings
Geothermal technology company Bedrock Energy announced that it has raised $12 million in a Series A funding round, with proceeds aimed at supporting the deployment and development of its carbon-free, low-cost solution for heating and cooling buildings. Buildings are a significant contributor to global GHG emissions, and one of the hardest to replace, given their long-term nature. Overall, buildings are…
JLL Appoints Josephine Tucker to Lead New Energy Advisory and Sustainability Practice
Real estate and investment management-focused services provider JLL announced the launch of a new Energy Advisory and Sustainability practice, aimed at providing energy-focused, end-to-end sustainability services to real estate investors and commercial and public sector clients. The new practice will be led by Josephine Tucker, who has been appointed Americas Head of Energy Advisory and Sustainability at JLL. JLL is…
BNP Paribas AM Raises $179 Million for Cleantech Venture Fund
BNP Paribas Asset Management (BNPP AM) announced that it has raised €172 million (USD$179 million) at the final close of its BNP Paribas Solar Impulse Venture Fund (BNPP SIVF), surpassing the initial target size for the fund focused on investing in innovative cleantech startups with positive environmental impact and supporting the acceleration of ecological transition. Founded in 2021 through an…
Microsoft Signs Forest Restoration Deal to Remove 3.5 Million Tons of CO2
Microsoft and nature-based climate solutions startup re.green announced a new agreement, the second between the companies, expanding their collaboration to restore forests in Brazil to cover an area three times the size of the city of Paris, with Microsoft purchasing carbon removal offtakes from the projects totalling 6.5 million tons. Microsoft and re.green signed their initial agreement in May 2024,…
Lobbying Tools Shed Little Light on a Murky World
ESG data and ratings providers and other initiatives are overly focused on direct lobbying, with full spectrum of practices slipping under the radar. Investor efforts to tackle corporate advocacy activities are getting limited help from tracking solutions, according to non-profit The Good Lobby. The Good Lobby Tracker scores ESG data and ratings providers, sustainability reporting standards, and other initiatives on…