The invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has been a catalyst for the debate on whether the defence industry should be part of the investible universe for sustainable investors, with the subsequent volatile geopolitical landscape leading to calls from politicians for greater investment by investors of all hues. Global defence spending hit a record high of nearly $2.5trn in 2024 and…
Franklin Templeton Launches Enhanced ESG, Reduced Carbon Footprint S&P 500 and World ETFs
Global investment manager Franklin Templeton announced the launch of the Franklin S&P 500 Screened UCITS ETF and the Franklin S&P World Screened UCITS ETF, two new exchange traded funds targeted at European investors, aimed at providing enhanced ESG and reduced carbon footprint features while closely tracking the performance of their U.S. and global equity benchmarks. The new ETFs are classified…
Microsoft Buys 1.4 Million Tons of Carbon Removal from Reforestation of Former Mine Land
Microsoft and nature-based solutions company Living Carbon announced today a large-scale carbon removal deal, with Microsoft agreeing to purchase 1.4 million tonnes of carbon removal credits from Living Carbon’s reforestation projects on degraded mine lands in the U.S. Founded in 2019, California-based Living Carbon transforms marginal land into high-value environmental assets, with a focus on restoring abandoned mines, degraded farmland,…
EcoVadis Launches New Workforce Survey Tool to Provide Real-Time Supply Chain Human Rights Data
Business sustainability ratings and solutions provider EcoVadis announced the launch of its new EcoVadis Worker Voice survey, a new workforce engagement tool aimed at providing companies with real-time information on responsible sourcing and human rights human rights issues in their supply chains. According to EcoVadis, the new tool comes as supply chain disruption and a volatile trade environment increase risks…
Energy Storage Startup Base Power Raises $200 Million
Battery storage startup Base Power announced that it has raised $200 million in Series B funding round to scale its distributed energy storage solution aimed at addressing grid instability challenges and higher energy cost issues from increasing electrification. Energy storage forms one of the key building blocks for the rapidly expanding clean energy transition, given the intermittent generating nature of…
Robeco Launches Tool for Investors to Find Biodiversity Leaders and Underperformers
International asset manager Robeco announced the launch of its new Biodiversity Traffic Light, a new tool aimed at enabling investors to identify corporate leaders and laggards on biodiversity and nature loss performance. According to a white paper released by Robeco alongside the launch of the Biodiversity Traffic Light, the launch of the new tool follows conversations with asset owners over…
Apple Cuts Product Manufacturing Emissions in Half From 2020
Apple announced a series of environmental sustainability milestones, including revealing that it has surpassed a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the value chain from its 2015 baseline. The achievements were announced alongside the release of Apple’s annual Environmental Progress Report. The 60% milestone marks significant progress towards Apple’s goal, set by the company in 2020, to become…
ESG Today: Week in Review
This week in ESG news: SEC approves U.S.’ first sustainability-focused stock exchange; Microsoft signs record-breaking permanent carbon removal deals; Net-Zero Banking Alliance drops 1.5°C commitment; U.S. walks out on international shipping decarbonization agreement; GM’s new Chief Sustainability Officer; EU selects first industries for product ecodesign requirements; Trump halts work on massive New York renewable energy project; Oxy acquires another DAC…
UK Releases Carbon Credit “Integrity Principles” to Advance Carbon Markets
The UK government announced the launch of a new consultation into a series of “integrity principles” for carbon and nature credits, aimed at helping to advance the development and growth of voluntary carbon and nature markets. The consultation comes as demand for carbon offset projects and related credits is expected to increase significantly over the next several years, with the…
Trump Admin Halts $5 Billion New York Offshore Wind Project
The U.S. Department of the Interior announced an order to stop construction activities on the Empire Wind project, a large scale offshore wind project off the coast of New York, anticipated to power 500,000 homes with renewable energy. New York Governor Hochul said that she would fight the order “every step of the way.” In a social media announcing the…