More than 90% of individual investors reported that they are interested in sustainable investing, increasing over the past year with expectations of returns as a central driver of interest, according to a new survey released by Morgan Stanley. While the survey indicated growing interest in sustainable investing, however, it also found that sustainable investment allocations slipped slightly in the past…

Clean energy and ocean technology company Panthalassa announced that it has raised $140 million in a Series B funding round led by Paypal and Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel, with proceeds from the financing aimed at advancing its technology to power AI computing using zero emissions energy generated by ocean waves. According to Panthalassa, the new financing comes as terrestrial data…

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced the launch of the Critical Minerals-to-Manufacturing Financing Partnership Facility, a new financing initiative aimed at supporting the development supply chains for critical minerals – needed for clean energy, batteries, electric vehicles, and digital technology – in Asia-Pacific countries. According to the ADB, the facility is designed to enable the region to move beyond mining…

French energy giant TotalEnergies and renewable energy developer Nextnorth announced they have closed financing and started construction on a 440 MW solar power project in the Philippines. Financing for the project, with an estimated cost of approximately $300 million, was provided by three international banks, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, ING Bank and Standard Chartered. The transaction is the largest international…

The European Commission announced today the release of its simplification review of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), its new law aimed at ensuring that products imported to or exported from EU markets no longer contribute to deforestation and forest degradation globally, revealing that simplification changes to the law since its introduction have reduced compliance costs for companies by approximately 75%,…

IBM announced the launch of IBM Envizi Emissions Calculations in Excel, a new solution designed for sustainability teams and organizations that rely on spreadsheets to calculate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. According to IBM, the new solution is designed to help provide flexibility and transparency for organizations earlier in their carbon accounting journey, with Excel often the first place sustainability teams…

Norway-based climate tech platform Energie.AI announced the acquisition of sustainability advisory firm CEMAsys. in a move aimed at expanding its capabilities, client base and supporting international growth. Launched in 2021, Energie.AI has developed an AI platform that automates climate data collection, analysis, and reporting, enabling companies to measure and reduce emissions and manage sustainability performance. Founded in 2007, Norway-based CEMAsys…

Energy management solutions provider Arcadia announced the acquisition of power company Engie’s Utility Expense and Data Management, Energy Procurement, and Sustainability Advising arm, Engie Impact. Launched in 2014, Washington D.C.-based Arcadia provides energy data and management solutions, enabling companies to pay utility bills, buy energy, and advance sustainability. The company’s provides enterprise solutions including utility bill management, energy procurement advisory…

This week in ESG news: Over 80% of companies sticking with climate goals – PwC report; France unveils plan to quit fossil fuels by 2050; 23 states warn Moody’s, S&P and Fitch over ESG in credit ratings; NYC pension funds say BlackRock, Fidelity not aligned on climate expectations; Meta to power data centers at night with solar energy from space;…

The government of France published its “Roadmap for Transitioning away from Fossil Fuels,” highlighting its initiatives to end its consumption of coal by 2030, oil by 2045, and natural gas by 2050. The new plan was launched at the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels hosted in Santa Marta, Colombia, convened in the wake of the COP30 conference…